Get those binoculars out of Minnesota. There is a rare sky show in the northern sky after sunset this week. And our climate looks perfect.
NASA’s Near-Earth Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer explored the C / 2020 F3 Neowise in March. The nickname Comet Neowise comes from that acronym for that sensor.
So far, the NASA images are impressive. NASA explains what we are seeing in this image.
The twin tails of Comet Neowise are seen more clearly in this image from the WISPR instrument, which has been processed to increase contrast and remove excess glare from scattered sunlight, revealing more detail in the tails of comets.
The bottom tail, which looks wide and fuzzy, is the Neowise Comet’s dust tail, created when dust rises from the surface of the comet’s nucleus and creeps behind the comet in its orbit. Scientists hope to use the WISPR images to study the size of the dust grains inside the dust tail, as well as the speed at which the comet throws dust.
The top tail is the ion tail, which is made up of gases that have been ionized by losing electrons in the intense sunlight. These ionized gases are shaken by the solar wind, the constant flow of magnetized material from the Sun, creating the ion tail that extends directly away from the Sun. Parker Solar Probe images appear to show a split in the ion tail. This could mean Comet Neowise has two ion tails in addition to its dust tail, though scientists would need more data and analysis to confirm this possibility.
Minnesota Sky Show
This seems to be the best week to see Neowise in Minnesota. The weather conditions look excellent. Most of Minnesota will see a dry air mass with dew points in the 1950s through Thursday. Lack of tropical humidity in the atmosphere creates clearer skies and better viewing optics.
Some clouds remain in southeastern Minnesota tonight, but the rest of Minnesota will enjoy mostly clear skies. Most Minnesota will see clear skies on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
Look north-northwest after sunset
To improve your view of Neowise, stay away from the city lights. Watch NNO about an hour to 80 minutes after sunset. You should see Neowise with the naked eye. But binoculars or a telescope will greatly improve your vision.
NASA experts will give viewing tips on #NASAScience Live Wednesday at 3 pm EDT – 2 pm Minnesota time.
Enjoy the rare sight in the Northwest night sky this week.