Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2023 February 3 Polaris and the Trail of Comet ZTF Image Credit &Copyright:David Ibarra Gomez Explanation: Stars trace concentric arcsaround the North Celestial Pole in thisthree hour long night sky composite,recorded with a digital camera fixed to a tripodon January 31, near Àger, Lleida, Spain.On that dateComet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)was near its northernmost declination inplanet Earth's sky.That put the comet about 10 degrees fromEarth's North Celestial Polemaking the comet's positioncircumpolar,always above the horizon, from all locations onplanet Earth at more than 10 degrees northern latitude.In the startrail image,the extension of Earth's axis of rotation into space is at the left.North star Polaristraces the short,bright, concentric arc less than a degree from theNorth Celestial Pole.The trail of Comet ZTF is indicated at the right,its apparent motionmostlyreflecting Earth'srotation like the stars.But heading for its closest approach to planet Earth on February 1,the comet is also moving significantlywith respect to the background stars.The diffuse greenish trail of Comet ZTF is an almost concentricarc mingled with startrails as it sweeps through thelong-necked constellation Camelopardalis. Tomorrow's picture:...