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Comet NEOWISE
Comet Description:
The C/2020 F3 comet, also know as NEOWISE is a retrograde comet with a near parabolic orbit. This comet was discovered on 27 March 2020 by a team of astronomers using the NEOWISE earth orbiting space telescope (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer).
Comet NEOWISE made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on July 3, 2020, at a distance of 27 million miles (0.29 au, 43 million km). Its passage through the planetary region caused an increase in the orbital period of the comet from about 4500 years to about 6800 years. Its closest approach to Earth occurred on July 23, 2020, 01:09 UT, at a distance of 64 million miles (0.69 au, 103 million km) and at that time, could be seen in the constellation of Ursa Major (Big Dipper).
Comet Specifications:
Comet Designation:
C-2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
Discovery:
Discovery Date:
27 March 2020
Discovered By:
Near Earth Object WISE
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
Orbital Characteristics:
Orbital Type:
Long Period Comet
Orbital Period:
6799 years
Inclination:
128.93$deg;
Aphelion:
538 AU inbound, 710 AU outbound
27 million miles, 43 million km
Date of Last Perihelion:
03 July 2020
Date of Next Perihelion:
~8820 CE
Physical Characteristics:
Comet Dimensions:
~ 3 miles, 5 km
Comet Magnitude:
Apparent Magnitude:
Early June: about 7
Early July: .5 to 1 (naked eye)
Object it Orbits:
Sun
(m5pr-comets-neowise.neowise) The NEOWISE Comet
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
Last Visit Observations:
By July of 2020, the comet has become bright enough to be visible to the unaided eye, but only under a dark sky which means not having light pollution normally found within a city. The comet is expected to still be visible throughout the month of July 2020.
For observers in the northern hemisphere, in the morning, the comet appears low above the north-eastern horizon, below the star Capella. In the evening, the comet can be seen in the north-western sky. In the second half of July 2020, Comet NEOWISE will appear to pass through the constellation of Ursa Major, below the collection of stars commonly called the Big Dipper. The schedule for viewing is as follows with the first time for viewing low on the horizon in the northeast sky and the second time period for viewing low on the horizon in the north west sky.
13 July: Morning 3:52 AM - 4:36 AM, Evening 10:16 PM - 10:45 PM
14 July: Morning 3:53 AM - 4:30 AM, Evening 10:22 PM - 11:08 PM
15 July: Morning 3:57 AM - 4:23 AM, Evening 10:29 PM - 11:31 PM
16 July: Morning 4:04 AM - 4:17 AM, Evening 10:35 PM - 11:32 PM
17 July: Morning Not Visible, Evening 10:42 PM - 12:13 AM
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