Starting in early July, a new comet showed up in the early morning sky, and it looks like it should remain visible in the evening for the rest of the summer.
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was first discovered on March 27, 2020, as it approached the Sun from below the ecliptic plane. Spotted by NASA's NEOWISE space telescope, this comet was found to be on a very long journey. It just spent nearly 3,400 years flying in from the outer edges of our solar system to swing around the Sun!
A computer model of the inner solar system shows the path of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE). Credit: NASA CNEOS
Now having survived that passage, NEOWISE is flying high above the inner planets on its way back to the outer reaches of the solar system.
Ideally located in space to view from Earth's northern hemisphere, Comet NEOWISE is showing up in the northeastern sky, in the hours just before sunrise.
This long-exposure image of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was captured on the morning of July 5, 2020, by Weather Network meteorologist and astrophotographer Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn (instagram.com/weatherandsky)
The above image is an idealized view of Comet NEOWISE, of course. According to the astrophotographer who captured it, Weather Network meteorologist Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn, the photograph is comprised of several 1-minute exposures. These are all stacked on top of one another using imaging software to enhance the comet's brightness and bring out more of the details of its tail.
According to the Comet Observation Database, C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is estimated at being around magnitude 1.2 right now. That is so-called 'naked eye' brightness, and brighter than the stars of the Big Dipper or even Comet Halley during its last pass, back in 1986. Be careful, though. A pinpoint source of light at that brightness, such as a planet or a star, is relatively easy to see, even from light-polluted urban areas. Spotting the diffuse coma and tail of a comet at that brightness is harder, though. This is especially true with light pollution and if the comet is set against the backdrop of a twilit sky.
Responding to a comment on Facebook, Lecky Hepburn said that when she was capturing her long-exposure images, the comet was faint and difficult to see with the unaided eye. She had to use a technique astronomers call 'averted vision'.
If you have ever spotted something out of the corner of your eye in the night sky, but it vanished when you looked directly at it, you have used averted vision.
This picture of Comet NEOWISE, from TWN's User Generated Content Gallery, was captured from André-J.-Côté Park, in Candiac, QC, on the morning of July 6. Credit: Stephane Pelletier
Basically, this technique takes advantage of the sensitivity of our peripheral vision to spot objects too dim to see directly. Its effectiveness can vary from person to person, and you may need to take some time for your eyes to adapt to the dark to get the maximum effect. Still, looking off to one side, while keeping your attention focused on the comet's location in the sky, may produce results.
For best viewing, seek out a good rural area to watch from, such as the parking lot of a provincial park. If you have a telescope or binoculars, these will make it easier to see the comet, and using averted vision can still help you to hone in on where it is.
MORNING TO EVENING SHIFT
Although visible in the pre-dawn twilight now, Comet NEOWISE will switch things up a bit in the days and weeks to come.
The location of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) in the pre-dawn sky on July 7, 2020. Credit: Stellarium/Scott Sutherland
Starting later this week, as the comet continues to swing up over the inner solar system, it will still be visible in the morning. Evening skywatchers, though, should also see it rise above the northwestern horizon after the Sun has gone down.
Comet NEOWISE to the north-northwest in the evening sky, around 10:45 p.m. local time. Credit: Stellarium/Scott Sutherland
As an evening comet, NEOWISE should be easier to see against the backdrop of the darker sky. Its brightness will still diminish steadily in the next few weeks, however.
Later this month, and into August and September, the comet will leave the morning behind altogether, and remain visible only during the evening, tracking farther into the western sky, night by night.
Comet NEOWISE in the western sky, on the night of July 31, 2020. Credit: Stellarium/Scott Sutherland
At the same time, its brightness will continue to dim as it moves farther away. So, a telescope or binoculars are still the best way to view NEOWISE throughout the season.
Sources: weatherandsky | Astronomy | Comet Observation Database | With files from The Weather Network
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2020-07-07 21:55:00Z
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