Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)  Ion and Dust Tail Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) imaged in the infrared by the NEOWISE spacecraft on January 30, 2015 when the comet was at perihelion at solar distance of 1.29 AU.

Blue = 3.4-micron wavelength (infrared)
Orange = 4.6-micron wavelength. (infrared)

Image has been rotated so that position angle of ion tail matches JPL Horizons position angle of the sun-comet extended radius vector = 72.2 degrees. North is up and east is left. In the infrared, the comet's dust tail can be seen as indicated and expected between PsAng and PsAMV.

2015-Jan-30
delta = 0.73 AU
r = q = 1.29 AU
Phase = 49.4 deg
PsAng = 72.2 deg
PsAMV = 156.732
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech