Comet Chasers

As seen on the National Geographic News skygazers enjoy the spectacular view of comet Lovejoy (C/2011 W3) over Australia. The small icy body not only survived its close perihelion (only 185,000 km from the Sun’s surface), but in the days afterward the sungrazer comet also held together and reformed its tails. The two bright stars above the end of tail are Alpha and Beta Centauri.