Here’s when and how you can see Comet NEOWISE

Comets are heavenly highlights to me because they are immaculate, large chunks of dust, ice, and gases left over from the formation of our solar system!

We don’t see kites too often, so when we get the chance, it’s pretty special.

As comets get closer to the sun, some of the ice and gases on the comet sublimate. So, as the comet passes through space, dust and gas form a ball around the nucleus (called a coma), and the tail we see (actually, most comets have two tails: a dust tail and a gas tail, which is the most difficult to see).

Here’s a nice shot of Comet NEOWISE taken last weekend by Mike Thompson in White Lake, Michigan. Please note this is a fifteen second exposure, not what you would see with the naked eye:

Comet NEOWISE is not what scientists call a “great comet”. In other words, it is not so bright that it can be seen prominently in the sky with the naked eye. However, if you live in an area with dark skies, you should be able to see it faintly. It’s really cool, but wearing binoculars will make it really special!

Until now, to see Comet NEOWISE, I had to get up at 5 am And I know MANY people who would never get up at 5 am Not even for a comet. However, I have good news: NEOWISE will transition to a night object over the next week! So where do you look? Fortunately, there is a well-known constellation that you can use as a guide. I show you where and when to watch in this video:

Start looking around 9:45 or 10:00 pm, and by next week, it should be high enough for most of us to see it, unless you have lots of trees or buildings blocking your view of the northwest. Try to get away from the city lights and get to a place with dark skies! And if you miss Comet NEOWISE this time, don’t worry, it will return in 6,800 years.

And here is something special for you. Have you ever wondered what a comet looks like up close and personal? Well, there is a spaceship for that. Her name is Rosetta, and she flew to Comet 67P, orbited it, and then deployed a lander, called Philae, to the surface. Here are a couple of photos of Comet 67P: one of Rosetta in orbit and one of Filae on the surface.