Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) Upcoming AP Events

[JayTee]

"I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it."

I refuse to believe that I'm jinxing things by bringing this up, but no one has yet done so, so I think I will!

These three events are more for AP than visual, but don't let that stop you.

On 31 Jul, comet Neowise will pass in between the Needle galaxy (NGC4565) and the Koi Fish galaxy (NGC4559), these two galaxies are only 2° apart.
On 3 Aug, comet Neowise will pass less than 20' (1/3 of a degree) from M64, the Black Eye galaxy
On 6 Aug, comet Neowise will pass less than 15' (1/4 of a degree) from M53, Globular cluster in Coma
Go to Stellarium (or your favorite planetarium software) to find out the local times that apply to you.

See the graphic below.





Excitedly,
JT

[StarBru]

"I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it."

Me, too! I am still trying to understand if this comet is visible in the early morning here in Arizona. I have not been able to see for myself due to my work schedule, but I plan to look for it early tomorrow morning!

[sdbodin]

I quickly scanned the morning sky before my 6 am tee time, but hi-cirrus probably blocked my view, Venus was bright.

Steve

[dcrowson]

"I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it."

Me, too! I am still trying to understand if this comet is visible in the early morning here in Arizona. I have not been able to see for myself due to my work schedule, but I plan to look for it early tomorrow morning!

Bruce,

my observatory partner Gregg Ruppel - http://www.greggsastronomy.com/ - caught this comet from his home near Tucson this morning.



While Gregg didn't visually see without a telescope or binos, Carl H mentioned seeing it naked eye this morning from his Tucson home.

Dan

[StarBru]

I saw it this morning with my 20x80 binos! First, I headed for the backyard around 0400 with the binos and my 4" SCT Grab & Go and looked at crescent -phased Venus, and Saturn and Jupiter, but Saturn and Jupiter were quickly blocked by the trees. I continued to observe Venus with the SCT at f/6.3 with my 10mm Radian at 63x and a #80A blue filter.

To see the comet, I had to walk quite a ways down a paved trail-way next to a small ravine until I could clear the neighborhood trees and houses that blocked the view, probably about a 1/4 mile from my house. I was unable to see it naked eye but scanned the NE sky with handheld binos just above the treetops and found it at 0444. I was able to observe it for 10 minutes, but it was getting more and more daylight and I was unable to locate it after that. It looked just like the photo above in Dan's post!

I wished I could have seen it it a little earlier with a darker sky and a telescope! Even though I have to go to work tomorrow morning, I should set up a scope at the same spot and find a way to steady the binos as well. Hopefully there won't be any runners or bicyclists on the trail!

[helicon]

Cool photo. And thanks for starting the topic JayTee.

[sdbodin]

I tried again this morning, but no comet. This time the sky was graced with a band of turquoise noctilucent clouds hugging the horizon and hiding the comet.

Skunked again, but nice sight anyway,
Steve

[KingNothing13]

Our new dog gets us up early enough - I may be able to check it out - once it gets high enough - my Eastern sky is blocked 10-20 degrees.

[SirTalllPaul]

According to Stellarium I should be able to see this from my balcony Guess i'll be setting my alarm for 5am to have a look.

[StarBru]

I tried again this morning, but no comet. This time the sky was graced with a band of turquoise noctilucent clouds hugging the horizon and hiding the comet.

Skunked again, but nice sight anyway,
Steve

I'm hoping your clouds disappear and you get to see the comet soon! I am hoping to see it naked eye Monday morning before I get to work, but will bring a scope and binoculars along with me as well as a digital camera and tripod just to make sure! (clouds permitting of course!)

[XCalRocketMan]

I'm getting ready to finally try to image NEOWISE. From Reisterstown, MD, it should be about 10 degrees up in the NE when the sun is 10 degrees below the horizon. This will be true from 7/6 to 7/13 or so. After that, it is visible in the NW and climbs higher in the sky each night throughout July. My blog has a couple of charts showing the path.

http://skyandrockets.blogspot.com/

[KingClinton]

I am seeing reports and pictures from Europe and north America on Twitter, neowise is easily naked eye visible now!

[SirTalllPaul]

My planned viewing didn't happen, 100% cloud cover last night and the night before, according to my Clear Outside app tonight is the night (or tomorrow, 5am). Can't wait.

[carastro]

There are quite a few images (good ones) on Astrobin.

Guess i'll be setting my alarm for 5am to have a look.

Most people seem to be getting up at 3.30 am (UK time) can never remember what time zone Spain is on.

Carole

[SirTalllPaul]

There are quite a few images (good ones) on Astrobin.

Guess i'll be setting my alarm for 5am to have a look.

Most people seem to be getting up at 3.30 am (UK time) can never remember what time zone Spain is on.

Carole

It's an hour ahead where I am, according to Stellarium it starts to peak over the horizon around 04:50am.

[KingNothing13]

Has anyone here seen it naked eye yet? It is tough to drag myself out of bed that early. And honestly, there are trees in that direction up to about 10-20 degrees, so I may not see it anyway, if I try.

[yobbo89]

ahhh the envy ! i'll just keep enjoying carina and tarantula with my -27 lat.

how i picture the northern from the southern hemisphere , an iss pass 4 times a night serveral times a week , a solar eclipse every year, a bunch of luna eclipse , the great california nebula all year round day and night ! :LOL: ohh and comets comets comets !

[helicon]

I looked in the northeast this morning at about 5:45, but that was too late it to see it. That direction is free of trees but the prominence of the hills to the east takes up about 10 degrees, so it may screen it out. But the good news is that Neowise will climb in the skies over the next month or so. Whether it gets too far away from the sun to show brightly is unknown.

[JayTee]

So at my latitude 21°N, Neowise is now in the morning glare. I don't pick it up again until July 15th. So I'm getting primed for two weeks from now. Here's the track at 8 PM local.



Plus www.calsky.com will show you a 3D depiction of the Neowise orbit. So break out those red and blue glasses and prepare to be semi-wowed!



Cheers,
JT

[SirTalllPaul]

So, I got up at 5am, I realised I wouldn't be able to see it from my balcony so I went outside (where I live it is all flats) I had to find somewhere where I would be able to see the comet (without my scope obviously at 5am) and I found a gap between the buildings and just saw the comet, very faint, over the top of a mountain just over a TV antenna.

Disappointing, I can at least say I saw it but I need to find somewhere dark I can go to and view it better and take my telescope. I don't think I realised just how much light pollution there is until all the lampost are blinding my tired eyes at 5am.

When I go for my hike later i'm going to see if I can see the mountain clearly because it is accesible by car, if I can, I might have to go bed early and have a trip there in car at 3am.