About This Image
In this image, the nucleus of comet 46P/Wirtanen is hidden in the center of a fuzzy glow from the comet's coma. The coma is a cloud of gas and dust that the comet has ejected as it is heated by the Sun during its passage through the inner solar system.
Scientific Significance
Comet Wirtanen helps constrain volatile release, coma evolution, and dust production in short-period comets. These measurements preserve clues about primordial Solar System material.
Observation Details
Hubble observed Wirtanen with visible-light imaging tuned for faint diffuse coma structures and near-nucleus activity, using motion-aware processing to keep comet features sharp.
Location in the Universe
Constellation
Varies (Solar System)
Distance from Earth
Varies (within inner Solar System)
Fun Facts
- 1
46P/Wirtanen completes an orbit around the Sun roughly every 5.4 years.
- 2
Its coma can grow far larger than Earth while the nucleus remains tiny.
- 3
Wirtanen was once considered as an early candidate target for Rosetta planning.
Image credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Space Telescope
