NEOWISE Closest Approach 7/23/2020

    Comet NEOWISE had its closest approach to the Sun back on July 3. Since then it has been heading back to the outer solar system but not before making a pass by Earth. On Thursday it reached it closest distance to Earth and I happened to have clear skies.

   

    Below is the center of the Milky Way Galaxy with the planet Jupiter just above the trees.

    The sunsets on Lake Michigan often end with a green flash caused by the atmosphere's layers acting like a prism to make the Sun's image slightly split into the separate spectral colors.  This effect causes blue and green, which have the shortest visible wavelengths, to be the last to disappear over the horizon.

NEOWISE in the Evening Sky 7/16/2020

   Comet NEOWISE has swung around to the evening sky and seems to be holding its brightness as it heads away from the Sun.  Last night I was able to get some photos from the yard.

   As I was taking the above shot from my deck I noticed that the ISS was heading toward the general direction that my camera was pointed.  I tilted the camera to vertical and let the satellite photobomb the comet. 

Comet NEOWISE C/2020F3

     Behold Comet NEOWISE. Not since 1997 when the great Comet Hale-Bopp appeared have I been able observe a comet without optical aid.  That 23 year gap exceeds the typical 10 year gap between great comets.   NEOWISE probably doesn't qualify as great but it does break the drought of prominent naked-eye comets which the northern hemisphere has been mired in.

   Saturday morning I was able to drive up to a location 370' above Lake Michigan to observe and photograph this stunning outer solar system interloper.

      Although this apparition of the comet thus far has favored the early morning hours, it is moving north and west and as of today it is best viewed in the northwest after sunset. Due to gravitational perturbations from the major planets, this visit to the inner solar system will increase the comet's period from 4500 years to 6800 years. You can check it out now or wait until the year 8820.