64 ASTRONOMY • FEBRUARY 2022READER GALLERY
Cosmic portraits
- ONE MORE ROUND
In 2014, Comet 67P/
Churyumov–Gerasimenko
(upper left) was visited by ESA’s
Rosetta craft and Philae lander,
which touched down on the
comet’s nucleus. Now, the
comet has completed another
of its 6.45-year laps of the Sun,
making its closest approach
Nov. 2, 2021. This image was
taken Oct. 11 as it passed by
the reflection nebula VdB 47
(lower right) in Taurus.
- Gerald Rhemann
2. THE TOWERING TRUNK
The Elephant Trunk Nebula is
an extended cloud of dust and
gas that cocoons many young
stars within the emission
nebula IC 1396 in Cepheus.
This Hubble palette image
represents 13.1 hours of
exposure time with a 5-inch
refractor. • Terry Hancock
(^12)