ROSAT Image of Comet Levy

Superposition of the X-ray contours of Comet C/1990 K1 (Levy) on an optical image, taken nearly simultaneously with the ROSAT observations. The globe at the lower right edge illustrates the illumination conditions (the Sun is shining from the right). The comet is moving along the green arrow; the yellow arrow indicates the direction of the solar wind as seen from the moving comet. Geometrical conditions cause the cometary tail to appear considerably shortened, and an antitail is visible towards the upper right. In X-rays, however, no emission from the tail is evident.

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