Space enthusiasts turn to Metro Vancouver skies to spot newly discovered comet - CityNews Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – For the next couple of weeks, space enthusiasts will be searching the night sky, looking for a comet that won’t be seen again for thousands of years.

Photographers and stargazers are losing sleep trying to spot the comet NEOWISE, a one in a lifetime opportunity as the comet won’t be nearing Earth for another 6,800 years.

Vancouver’s Aaron Von Hagen is one of many photographers looking upwards into the late hours of the evening, all in the hopes of capturing the perfect shot of the recently discovered comet.

He was able to photograph the sight and says calls the experience thrilling.

“I just got back from shooting the comet, and I’m pulsating,” he says. “Not knowing where it’s going to show up in the sky but knowing it is going to show up. You see a little light on the horizon and you are thinking is that it? And it’s not. And then all of a sudden, when it got a little bit darker you could just see the tail that appeared out of nowhere.”

The comet is a visitor to our solar system and NASA says it won’t be back for another 6,800 years.

NEOWISE made a close approach to the Sun on July 3rd and is now crossing outside Earth’s orbit on its way back to the outer parts of the solar system.

Despite this, you’ll still be able to see the comet for a while.

Rachel Wang is an astronomer and explains you still have at least the next two weeks to search for the comet.

“It will be visible well until the end of this month but it is dimming in brightness so you’ll want to go out as soon as possible,” she says. “The best time to go is right after dusk, an hour after sunset. That’s around 10 pm to 11 pm looking North and North West.

The comet is attracting so much attention, in part, because you can see it clearly with the naked eye.

Von Hagen suggests it’s a rare opportunity to try and catch an awe-worthy photo, and you may even be able to do it on your phone.

Over the last few days, Von Hagen has spent about 20 hours capturing the comet, and he’s not alone, saying everywhere he goes he sees so

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2020-07-16 03:11:07Z
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