Last call! Comet NEOWISE to be visible for just a few more nights
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jul 22, 2020 10:36 PM EST
This time-lapse video captured in Hansville, Washington, shows the comet NEOWISE making its way through the skies on July 13.
One of the biggest celestial surprises of 2020 has been Comet NEOWISE, the brightest comet in the Northern Hemisphere since the 1990s, but time is running out to spot the comet before it fades away into the icy depths of the solar system.
Comet NEOWISE is gradually getting dimmer and dimmer every night as it moves farther and farther away from the sun, and by next week, it may no longer be bright enough to be seen without binoculars or a telescope.
“Right now, the comet is relatively easy to observe with binoculars or a small telescope, provided you have a clear view toward the horizon,” NASA said.
It is still visible to the unaided eye, but only under dark skies in areas far away from light pollution.
“If you’re looking at the sky without the help of observation tools, Comet NEOWISE will likely look like a fuzzy star with a bit of a tail, so using binoculars or a small telescope is recommended to get the best views of this object,” NASA said.
It can be found in the northwestern sky under the Big Dipper by around 10 p.m. local time with the tail pointing upward away from the horizon.
On Wednesday, July 22, Comet NEOWISE made its closest approach to the Earth at a distance of around 64 million miles, according to NASA. For comparison, the sun is about 93 million miles away.
As it moves farther and farther away from the Earth and the sun, it will become harder to spot in the night sky, and by the end of July, it will likely only be visible with the help of a telescope.
It will be another 6,800 years before Comet NEOWISE visits the inner solar system and once again glows in the night sky.
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Besides a good eye on the sky, the only other thing that onlookers will need to see the comet is cloud-free conditions.
Cloud-free conditions are expected for may areas from Texas to Quebec and California to Manitoba on Friday evening, giving onlookers unobstructed views of the comet.
Meanwhile, clouds could be an issue for those elsewhere across North America.
The best way to capture an image the comet is with the help of a camera or smartphone that can take long exposure photography. Cameras that take a photo with a 3- or 5-second exposure can collect enough light to make out the comet in the sky even when it cannot be seen with just the naked eye.
Smartphones can also help onlookers find Comet NEOWISE in the sky.
After Comet NEOWISE fades away on its journey back into the outer solar system, it’s unclear when the next bright comet will be visible in the night sky.
According to SPACE.com, the last comet that was this bright enough to be seen with the naked eye from the Northern Hemisphere was Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997, although it was much brighter than NEOWISE.
So stargazers should take advantage of this rare opportunity to get one last look at Comet NEOWISE, since it may be some time before the next comet glows in the night sky.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Astronomy
Last call! Comet NEOWISE to be visible for just a few more nights
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jul 22, 2020 10:36 PM EST
This time-lapse video captured in Hansville, Washington, shows the comet NEOWISE making its way through the skies on July 13.
One of the biggest celestial surprises of 2020 has been Comet NEOWISE, the brightest comet in the Northern Hemisphere since the 1990s, but time is running out to spot the comet before it fades away into the icy depths of the solar system.
Comet NEOWISE is gradually getting dimmer and dimmer every night as it moves farther and farther away from the sun, and by next week, it may no longer be bright enough to be seen without binoculars or a telescope.
“Right now, the comet is relatively easy to observe with binoculars or a small telescope, provided you have a clear view toward the horizon,” NASA said.
It is still visible to the unaided eye, but only under dark skies in areas far away from light pollution.
“If you’re looking at the sky without the help of observation tools, Comet NEOWISE will likely look like a fuzzy star with a bit of a tail, so using binoculars or a small telescope is recommended to get the best views of this object,” NASA said.
It can be found in the northwestern sky under the Big Dipper by around 10 p.m. local time with the tail pointing upward away from the horizon.
On Wednesday, July 22, Comet NEOWISE made its closest approach to the Earth at a distance of around 64 million miles, according to NASA. For comparison, the sun is about 93 million miles away.
As it moves farther and farther away from the Earth and the sun, it will become harder to spot in the night sky, and by the end of July, it will likely only be visible with the help of a telescope.
It will be another 6,800 years before Comet NEOWISE visits the inner solar system and once again glows in the night sky.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Besides a good eye on the sky, the only other thing that onlookers will need to see the comet is cloud-free conditions.
Cloud-free conditions are expected for may areas from Texas to Quebec and California to Manitoba on Friday evening, giving onlookers unobstructed views of the comet.
Meanwhile, clouds could be an issue for those elsewhere across North America.
The best way to capture an image the comet is with the help of a camera or smartphone that can take long exposure photography. Cameras that take a photo with a 3- or 5-second exposure can collect enough light to make out the comet in the sky even when it cannot be seen with just the naked eye.
Smartphones can also help onlookers find Comet NEOWISE in the sky.
Related:
After Comet NEOWISE fades away on its journey back into the outer solar system, it’s unclear when the next bright comet will be visible in the night sky.
According to SPACE.com, the last comet that was this bright enough to be seen with the naked eye from the Northern Hemisphere was Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997, although it was much brighter than NEOWISE.
So stargazers should take advantage of this rare opportunity to get one last look at Comet NEOWISE, since it may be some time before the next comet glows in the night sky.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo