It is rare to get such a clear sighting of a comet with the naked eye, which is why Comet Neowise might be worth getting up for.
The comet, which was discovered in late March by a space telescope, is visible over the UK throughout July.
It is rare in that it survived a close encounter with the sun, passing at roughly the same distance as Mercury.
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During its closest approach to Earth Neowise will be about 64 million miles away – or about 400 times further away than the moon.
How can I see Comet Neowise?
You will need to get up early (or stay up late) to see it at its very best – late July Neowise is most visible around 80 minutes before sunrise. However, if it’s clear you’ll be able to see it all night.
The best way to spot it is first to search out perhaps the most famous constellation in the Northern Hemisphere’s sky; The Plough – also known as The Big Dipper. Look eastwards on a clear night in an area with little light pollution and you should be able to see it.
Neowise will be below The Plough, about 10 degrees above the horizon.
The comet passed closest to Earth on 23 July, when it was below and just to the right of The Plough.
On 25 July it was directly under it, before continuing to move west and slightly upwards.
Space.com advises: “Your clenched fist held at arm’s length measures approximately 10 degrees in width. So, on these mornings, the head of Comet Neowise will appear about ‘one fist’ up from the north-east horizon.”
The comet is getting further from Earth, so you may find you need binoculars to see it towards the very end of July.
Why is the comet so close to Earth?
When we say “so close”, 64 million miles obviously isn’t that close, but it is in space terms.
A Nasa spokesperson said: “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.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vaW5ld3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay9jb21ldC1uZW93aXNlLWhvdy1zZWUtdWstdG9uaWdodC10aW1lLXdoZXJlLXNreS1sYXRlc3QtNTUzMjM20gFdaHR0cHM6Ly9pbmV3cy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrL2NvbWV0LW5lb3dpc2UtaG93LXNlZS11ay10b25pZ2h0LXRpbWUtd2hlcmUtc2t5LWxhdGVzdC01NTMyMzYvYW1w?oc=5
2020-07-28 02:59:08Z
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