Comet Neowise and a meteorite captured in Bluff, Utah, on July 20.
Spaceweather.com/Paul Martini
The best nights to see bright neowise kite They are likely behind us, but sky watchers should be looking for it this week while also watching the meteor showers coming their way.
A bunch of meteor showers They are currently active, including Alpha Capricornids and Southern delta Aquarids peaking on July 29. Also, the moon is only partially lit this week and Neowise should still be visible with binoculars, giving you a little excuse not to go out at dusk and spend a little time just looking up.
Last week, I ventured into the exceptionally dark New Mexico desert night, several miles from the lights of the nearest small town. I turned north, located the Big Dipper in the sky, and moved my gaze down just a little. The Neowise Comet with its dazzling long tail was immediately obvious, even before my eyes had fully adapted to the darkness.
I spent less than 10 minutes outside looking at the night sky, and in that span of time I managed to see two meteorites pass by, including one that seemed to cut Neowise’s tail. It was a truly remarkable sight that instantly made me regret my failure to grab my telescope or a camera.
Some of you did not regret it, and have shared with me your best photos from Neowise:
@EricCMack This was last night (7/19/20) in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, NV. I did the editing on my iPhone 11 Pro with the Lightroom app. Little done, but a little adjustment here and there. pic.twitter.com/TNCNVmKcpY
– Ray Reyes (@ RayReyes4) July 21, 2020
@EricCMack Comet 2020 F3 (NEOWISE) Taken looking north towards the city of London, I used a gradient filter to darken the horizon, contrary to what is normally used https://t.co/K44HUrEjiR
– Maurice Childs (@_moocha_) July 20, 2020
A Wisconsin photographer also appears to have captured the same type of dual feature that I saw:
There are currently more than a dozen active meteor showers, but only a few are likely to produce many visible shooting stars, according to Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society. Meteor showers from the southern delta, Alpha Capricorn, Anthelion have the potential to produce multiple meteors per hour this week. The famous Perseids are also starting, but can generate one or two taillights per hour.
“The estimated total hourly meteor rate for night observers this week is close to 4 as seen from the northern mid-latitudes and 3 as seen from the southern tropical locations (25S). For morning observers, the estimated total hourly rates should be close to 22 as seen from mid-north latitudes (45N) and 19 seen from southern tropical locations (25S), “Lunsford writes in his weekly meteorological observation forecast.
“Actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal perception of light and movement, local weather conditions, alertness, and the experience of observing meteorite activity. Night rates decrease during this period due to the moonlight. “
See this:
Tips for catching the Neowise comet with your camera
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Remember, the best way to see Neowise and meteorites is to get as far away from light pollution as possible. Look for the comet under the Big Dipper in the night sky, and don’t forget your camera! Keep those stellar, cometary images coming to @EricCMack on Twitter or Instagram.
