Our third potentially-spectacular Comet of the summer, C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, is actually performing beyond expectations (currently estimated at magnitude +1.3), especially after Comets Swan and Atlas fizzled and/or broke apart as they rounded the sun. Comet NEOWISE is now becoming nicely visible in the morning sky (using binoculars from non-dark sky locations), though it will appear to descend back toward the sun over the next 10 days, at some point during which it will become an ‘evening’ comet. These two images were captured 6 minutes apart at the beginning of nautical twilight (0430 hrs MDT, 7/7/20) from Golden, CO, and shows the comet rising over North Table Mountain.
The brightest star in the first image (above the cloud) is Theta Aurigae, a +2.65 magnitude variable double star located in the constellation Auriga. The 94%-illuminated waning gibbous moon cast some light onto the basalt cliffs of North Table Mountain, though also served to brighten the sky enough to decrease the contrast of the comet’s ion tail. Images captured from a Bortle Class 6-7 area, with abundant light pollution emanating from the Denver Metro area. Comet Neowise is currently 1.02 AU (astronomical unit) from earth, and 0.32 AU from the sun, after having had its closest approach on July 3rd. It’s closest approach to earth will occur on 7/23/2020 (0.63 AU), although from here on out it should slowly dim as it moves away from the sun. On 7/26/2020 the comet will be equidistant between the Sun and Earth, and should continue to provide spectacular viewing due to the new moon on July 20.
It’s been 7 years since Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS provided the northern hemisphere good views of a comet’s tail, and I’m looking forward to the next few weeks with Comet Neowise. Stay tuned!
