It is a treat for all the stargazers as the C/2020 F3 comet aka Neowise is now visible in the sky with bare eyes. The celestial event has started its journey in the sky from July 14 onwards and will be visible to the naked eyes for 20 minutes every day for 20 days.
The ball of space ice and brightly colored white shiny tail, Neowise is expected to reach its brightest peak this week. The astronomical event was first discovered by NASA’s Near-Earth Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer back in March.
And now, after waiting for almost 3 and a half months, skywatchers are more than overwhelmed to experience it. The next Neowise will be seen after 6,768 years in our solar system, according to experts.
According to the experts, Neowise comet first glanced as a pass-by for our planet. The comet took a close round of our solar system on July 3. It is speculated to be have been around 10 million miles closer than Mercury’s orbit and much closer to our Sun.
But somehow, the ray of light survived the heat and radiations of the massive star and made its way towards Earth. Currently, Neowise is visible to the naked eye throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
How and Where to watch Neowise in India?
Reports coming from NASA suggests that the comet is expected to come closest to the planet earth on July 22nd and 23rd. While many of the comets which we have been around with were so crucial that gazers will have to rise up early or stay late at night.
But, this time the story will be quite different from the usual. According to Space.com, the comet’s “prime-time” viewing hours will come in the evenings from July 14 to July 19. Each day, the comet is visible for about 80 minutes after sunset.
The comet will be seen clearly in the early mornings. On the other hand, it may be difficult to locate it due to air pollution. Instead, try locating a more clear environment to choose your spot. You can also take the help of binoculars or telescope.
To catch a glimpse of this ball of white dust gas and ionized gas, you must stick your attention towards the horizon. For early risers, the Neowise comet appears about 20 degrees above the northeast horizon. After some days, it will drop to about 5 degrees, till Saturday.
- Mornings= Northeast Directions
- Evenings= Northwest Directions
In easy words, this is the length equal to the double width of your clenched fist. To perform it, hold your arm stretched and make a fist towards the northeast or northwest direction, depending upon your time of the day.
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Also, NASA has announced the LIVE coverage of this once in a lifetime event. To watch Neowise comet online, viewers can catch the NASA Science Live episode at 12:30 AM IST, July 16 on their official website, their TV channel, and social handles including Facebook Live and YouTube.