Comet Neowise Will Be Closest To Earth On July 23, Lighting Up Night Sky
Neowise (also referred to as C/2020 F3) comet was discovered on March 27, 2020 by NEOWISE space telescope.
Spotting a comet in the sky is a rare phenomenon, but truly a sight to behold. And last night, Comet Neowise made its spectacular display in the skies, making people awestruck with its beauty.
NASA
Neowise (also referred to as C/2020 F3) was first discovered on March 27, 2020, with the help of NEOWISE space telescope which is located around 525 kilometres above the Earth¡¯s surface. On July 3rd, the comet survived passing really close to the sun (43 million kilometres) and now it¡¯s expected to pass Earth in a few days.
Avid astronomers have already spotted the comet on July 6th with it getting closer each day, the positioning and timing of its visibility are varying. But in case you missed this, don¡¯t worry as the main showcase is yet to happen.
Comet Neowise Location Tracking
A report by EarthSky claims that the comet is visible at dawn now and by mid-July, the comet is expected to become more visible at dusk in the northwest horizon. With every passing day the comet will become clearer and easier to glance at. Having a pair of binoculars handy would surely help you get a clearer view.
Earth will have the closest encounter with the beautiful Comet Neowise on July 23 and it will truly be a sight to behold if it manages to maintain the same level of brightness and intensity. The comet is also expected to rise a little higher in the sky during this time.
Some astronomers even feel that the Comet Neowise might become more intense and turn into a ¡®great comet¡¯ where it will shine brighter and will also be easily visible in the skies. Earth hasn¡¯t come across one since Hale-Bopp comet in the year 1997.
Representational image: NASA
But it is important to note that comets are also known to be notoriously unpredictable, and just explode on its journey. Hopefully, we get to see the beauty before this occurs.
In case you cannot wait for the comet till the 23rd of July, you can always check TheSkyLive to see where the comet is. You might need to take help of a pair of binoculars to see it clearly though.
However, if you miss this opportunity, the next time you see this comet will be in the year 8786 if it doesn¡¯t explode and disintegrate on its journey.
