Un nómada celeste en el centro del escenario
En esta nueva imagen de ESO, el anochecer levanta el telón para que podamos disfrutar de una representación teatral que va a tener lugar en el cielo despejado que reina sobre La Silla.
En un primer acto que rezuma actividad, los actores principales de esta escena son el Cometa Lovejoy, refulgiendo en tonos verdosos en el centro de la imagen; las Pléyades, arriba y hacia la derecha; y la nebulosa California, justo a la derecha de Lovejoy que, con su rojo arco de gas, proporciona contraste a la imagen.
Un meteorito, que parece querer lanzarse a la piscina de difusa luz verde acumulada a lo largo del horizonte, añade su propio rayo de luz a la escena.
Los telescopios de La Silla son los espectadores de esta representación celeste, y un fino velo de nubes de baja altitud se aferra al espacio que hay bajo el observatorio, cruzado por la Ruta Panamerinana.
El viento solar provoca que la larga cola de Cometa Lovejoy se esté alejando del propio cometa. Los compuestos de carbono excitados por la radiación ultravioleta proveniente del Sol son los que le brindan esos llamativos tonos verdes.
Es la primera vez, en los últimos 11.000 años, que el cometa pasa por el interior del Sistema Solar y se enciende de un modo tan espectacular. Su órbita muy elíptica alrededor del Sol (que ha debido ajustarse ligeramente debido a la interferencia de algún planeta) nos dice que no adornará nuestros cielos hasta dentro de otros 8.000 años, una vez que haya pasado junto al Sol y comience su solitario viaje de regreso hacia las frías regiones exteriores del Sistema Solar.
Esta imagen fue tomada por Petr Horálek, Fotógrafo embajador de ESO, durante una visita a La Silla en enero de 2015. El cielo de esta imagen es fruto de una serie de fotografías de larga exposición, y el resultado es esta maravillosa vista del cometa. Sin embargo, la mitad inferior de la imagen utiliza tan sólo una de esas exposiciones con el fin de conservar la nitidez del paisaje de La Silla.
Crédito:P. Horálek/ESO
Sobre la imagen
| Identificador: | potw1504a |
| Idioma: | es |
| Tipo: | Fotográfico |
| Fecha de publicación: | 26 de Enero de 2015 a las 10:00 |
| Tamaño: | 4961 x 3543 px |
Sobre el objeto
| Nombre: | C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) |
| Tipo: | Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Comet |
Formatos de imagen
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