November 9, 2007
On your birthday, photons that left distant stars before humans walked the Earth finally completed their journey. You began yours.
Skyscape with Comet Holmes
Birthday · November 9, 2007
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published November 9, 2007. Credit: Dave Kodama. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
This gorgeous skyscape spans some 10 degrees across the heroic constellation Perseus, about the size of a generous binocular field of view. The deep exposure includes bright stars, emission nebulae, star clusters, and, of course, the famous Comet Holmes. To identify the celestial landmarks, just place your cursor over the image. The brightest star in view, Alpha Persei, is itself surrounded by a loose cluster of stars - the Alpha Per Moving Cluster - at a distance of about 600 light-years. But, at a distance of a mere 14 light-minutes bright Comet Holmes still dominates the scene with its fluorescing greenish coma and foreshortened blue tail.
Image credit: Dave Kodama