Neowise Kite, the most impressive comet in almost 25 years, is making its closest pass on Earth right now, offering sky watchers a last chance to catch him.
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Comet Neowise seen from the Czech Republic on the morning of July 6. Jan Tláskal / Spaceweather.com
Emily Kramer, a co-investigator with the scientific team on NASA’s Neowise spacecraft that discovered the comet, noted that it is rare for a comet to be bright enough to see with the naked eye.
“It has been a long time,” he told reporters last week. “The last time was 1995-1996 (with Comet Hale-Bopp).”
Neowise survived its closest brush with the sun on July 3 and has since headed in our direction.
In the past two weeks, several amateur astrophotographers have shared impressive images of the captured comet as it appeared just above the horizon in skies before sunrise.
Astronauts on the International Space Station have also seen the comet., aided by his premium point of view, and NASA Parker Solar Probe captured Neowise’s profile, showing that it has multiple tails.
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© Jan Tláskal / Spaceweather.com
Comet Neowise seen from the Czech Republic on the morning of July 6.
According to NASA’s solar system ambassador Eddie Irizarry, the comet should be easier to see this week as it rises a little higher in the sky. However, there are some reports of Neowise getting weaker, so don’t delay.
Right now, the advice many of those who have successfully seen the comet share is to locate it first in the sky using binoculars or a telescope. Once you’ve found it and your split tail mark, you should be able to track it with the naked eye.
After the comet’s closest passing through Earth on Thursday, it will soar a little higher in the sky on July 24 and 25, in case the actual flyby date is missed. From that point on, it is likely to decrease as you return to deep space.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
There is still a small chance, for the most optimistic of us, that Neowise will dramatically light up to become the so-called “great kite” that is easily visible and spectacular to see with the naked eye. While there is no strict definition of what a great comet is, it is generally accepted that we have not seen one since Hale-Bopp.
The comet will be visible towards the northwest and western edges of the sky. A good rule of thumb is to find the big dipper and start looking underneath it.
This is where you can see the comet in the next two weeks. Online resources like TheSkyLive also offer similar night sky maps to aid you in your kite search.
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This Sky and Telescope diagram shows where to look for the Neowise comet in the night sky this month. Sky and telescope
If you don’t catch the comet before it inevitably fades in August or sooner, you’ll have to wait a while for your next trip through the inner solar system, which is currently estimated to occur in 8786.
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