A comet has suddenly become visible to the unaided eye. Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered in late March and brightened as it reached its closest approach to the Sun, inside the orbit of Mercury, late last week.
The interplanetary iceberg survived solar heating, so far, and is now becoming closer to the Earth as it starts its long trek back to the outer Solar System. As Comet NEOWISE became one of the few naked-eye comets of the 21st Century, word spread quickly, and the comet has already been photographed behind many famous sites and cities around the globe.
Featured, Comet NEOWISE was captured over Lebanon two days ago just before sunrise. The future brightness of Comet NEOWISE remains somewhat uncertain but the comet will likely continue to be findable not only in the early morning sky, but also next week in the early evening sky.
Related: Skywatching Tip for July 2020 from NASA
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28 Comments
… and just where should one be looking to see this comet?
Look just above the the northeast horizon, right before it starts to get light. But you only have a couple of days left. In a couple of weeks, you will have to look to the west, as soon as it begins to get dark enough to see stars, right after the Sun sets. Wait too long, and it might have disappeared below the horizon after it gets dark after sunset. It could also break up, so look for it tomorrow morning, or Friday morning before dawn breaks. That is when it will be highest above the horizon before dawn breaks and the sky gets too bright to see it. Sky and Telescope and Astronomy Magazines have maps on their websites. In-The-Sky.org has one too. Just select ‘comets’ at the top. You need to enter you location for accurate maps and times of everything rising and setting, and all. Binoculars are good to scan the horizon before dawn, and after sunset to find comets. If it isn’t round, it is the comet.
Why are we still pushing the false notion that comets are “icebergs” and “dirty snowballs”? These descriptions have been proven false by probes we have landed on comets or flown near. There are usually very little to no traces of water/ice/snow on these objects. Comets “flare up” and break apart due to electrical stresses of the solar proton wind, not this absurd warming scam that keeps getting shoved down our throats.
You significantly misunderstood that information. New research has shown a spectrum from dirty ball of ice and minerals to icy ball of dust and minerals. No doubt your interest and curiosity will lead you away from your mistake, cheers!
The sky is where to look
“During the first days of July, comet Neowise is a little tricky to catch because it appears not against a dark sky, but very close to the northeastern horizon just as dawn is brightening the sky,” according to EarthSky.org. It will be highest in the dawn skies on July 11 and then gradually approach the horizon and be visible mid month just after sunset low on the northern horizon.
Hmmmmmm…I wonder JONESY
So I am not a astronomer but from what I have learned deep space comets travel through space which is extremely cold which causes all the space dust to build up. As the comet reaches our sun. The comet starts to release the gas that it has accumulated in its journey through cold space. As the gases melt from the heat of the sun we see the tail of the comet. I do not believe that the ice in a comet is water as we know but more like liquid nitrogen mixed with other gases
GOOD QUESTION, JONESEY!! Cause I thought I was gonna have to look it up , figure for the no’east and checking weather reports ! It really helps when you get an idea of which direction a body is coming from ,or sitting!!
TANKS, keep your eyes on the skies!!
Guys, Comets are mostly frozen water, up to 90%. In fact, it’s where most of our planets water has come from. After planet Theia collided with us (our Moon creator 4 billion years ago), and blew away basically all or water and atmosphere, comets, and asteroids (up to 10% water), replenished us.
everyone is entitled to their own THEORY
But not their own FACTS. Cometary nuclei are a mixture of rock, dust, water ice, and frozen carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and ammonia.
Why do these things always happen at such inopportune times when I’m asleep?
I’ll have you know that you’re both wrong. I just flew back and can assure you it is green cheese!!
Would be nice to know where to look in the massive night sky.
I had forgotten will comets (like this) do re-orbit our system or another to be visable yet again, but not have us waiting too long?
Ignore the skies. According to some here, recognizing objects is tantamount to kowtowing to science; a trumping conservative’s mortal sin. Best to ignore this ‘false flag’ and keep your head firmly buried in the sand…or in your posterior.
Jeff Kampion – It is one thing to be ignorant about what you are saying, and another to be so proud of that ignorance that you are actually offensive. You have managed both in a single post.
It’s funny how someone who doesn’t subscribe to scientific THEORIES are called “science deniers.” I, for one, do not believe in myths and fantasies nor do I believe in “science” that is unproven via the scientific method. If something cannot be studied, directly, by human beings and/or cannot be repeatedly demonstrated via scientific experiments, then, it is merely a theory and not fact.
Because of this, arguing over what a comet is made of is fallacious and a waste of time. I enjoy watching a comet fly through the heavens and I hope that humans will be able to capture a comet, in some way, in order to do scientific studies upon it in order to determine what it is comprised of.
I love the internet…. We even fight about the make up of comets.
Orbiting balls of heated solids and gases…Wouldn’t it be crazy if there really were shooting stars? Or if a comet made bigger wishes come true than meteors, etc.?
What would a comet-worthy wish be?
Ever heard of spectrometry?
To people who think information is “merely a theory” and therefore has little or no merit – the word ‘theory,’ in common usage, has come to mean an idea or opinion. For example, “In theory, I shouldn’t hit traffic.” The actual word in science for this common usage definition is “hypothesis.”
This is not the proper use of ‘theory’ in science. Scientific theories are widely researched, evidence-based accepted truths… they are accepted as facts.
Other such words that have a special meaning in scientific context are “law” and “principle.”
Ain’t none of y’all know what that comet is made out of, now let me explain…it’s beer from where a alien started a alien bar fight and threw his or her beer and it missed….because he or she was to intoxicated to effectively douse whatever alien had offended him or her… Y’all talking bout ice and particles…farticles….hogwash… It’s beer!
In 1997 I had cancer. I thought I would die. There was a comet in the sky. I knew the next time I saw a comet it would be my time. Now in 2020 I’ve developed an auto immune disease that’s attacked my brain, lungs and heart. I’m on a medical infusion to completely shut down my immune system for the next four years. This virus will kill me.
Now there’s a visible comet. Perhaps its my time. I’ll look tonight. I’m not scared. I’ve faced death and imminent death before. I had no fear and still don’t.
Ok, so back on questions about the comet. Is there a way to see it from the New England sky?
Maybe it’s not dirty ice, but just a little kinky. 😝
Down load app “ planets” it will show you in three d where to look..great app.