Today’s the day, stargazers! Comet NEOWISE will be streaking across Florida skies tonight, putting on its most dazzling display yet, and there are several ways to enjoy the show. This view is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you’ll want to make sure you have all the details and plan out your night of stargazing, so you don’t miss a thing! NASA explains that those in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to spot the celestial show this evening. The comet will be easily visible with binoculars for watchers in brightly lit cities, and possibly even seen by the naked eye under dark and clear enough skies. “Don't miss your chance to see it,” says NASA. “The comet will not return to Earth's skies for about 6,800 years.” Editor's Choice: Universal Orlando Just Banned These 3 Types Of Face Masks You’ll still be able to catch a glimpse of the comet through the rest of the month, but tonight, July 23, it will be at its closest approach to Earth at a distance of about 64 million miles, making it appear brighter and easier to see. Comet #NEOWISE will be closest to Earth on July 22-23, 2020. It will pass at some 64 million miles (103 million km) from our planet. #science #space #astronomy pic.twitter.com/UpCNZYwqxV— Science & Space (@ScienceIsNew) July 20, 2020 Those looking to the skies for this once in a lifetime sight will want to look above the moon and right below the Big Dipper, west-northwest in the sky. You should be able to see it, especially with only a 5% chance of rain tonight. View this post on Instagram Whilst practicing solar distancing, Parker Solar Probe caught this rare glimpse of the twin tails on comet NEOWISE.☄ The twin tails are seen more clearly in this WISPR instrument processed image, which increased contrast and removed excess brightness from scattered sunlight, revealing more de-"tails". C/2020 F3 NEOWISE was discovered by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), on March 27. Since it's discovery the comet has been spotted by several NASA spacecraft, including Parker Solar Probe, NASA’s Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory, the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA #neowise #parkersolarprobe #heliophysics #solarprobe A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Jul 10, 2020 at 2:02pm PDT Binoculars or a telescope will enhance your viewing experience but aren't necessary. Now might be the time to brush up your long exposure photography skills so you can capture the stellar sight on camera. Some photos of the comet have already emerged out of Florida this month and are absolutely spectacular. View this post on Instagram I finally got the shot of the comet I wanted, and i couldn’t have had a funnier experience chasing it! For this shot, I got knee deep in the swamp, walked 1/4 of a mile round trip full of mud, ate dozens of mosquitos and got destroyed by them too! I know this sounds like a horrible experience, but been able to see the comet with the naked eye over the Pinelands and then turning around a looking at the reflection of the Milky Way on the swamp made the whole experience worth it. If you know there’s is an unique photo somewhere do whatever it takes to get it and I know sometimes it can be pretty scary but those are the experiences that make us feel alive. This photo is a stacked of 8 images Sony a7r3 35 mm I F4 I 15 seconds I Iso 3200 If you want to know how stacking works check the story highlight on my profile. #astroteacher #neowise A post shared by Anthony Sleiman (@anthsleiman) on Jul 22, 2020 at 4:42pm PDT Discovered just this March, Neowise gets its name from NASA’s Near-Earth Objects Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the telescope through which it was found. Having survived its recent approach to the sun and emerging even stronger, the comet is now making its way back out to the far reaches of the solar system. View this post on Instagram Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE over Farles Lake in the Ocala National Forest. Image Details: Canon 5D Mk4 50mm at f/3 ISO 3200 30 second exposure A post shared by Derek Demeter (@derekthediscoverer) on Jul 22, 2020 at 8:01am PDT Some of the best viewing spots in Florida to watch the show from are Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and Bahia Honda State Park, so don’t miss this celestial history in the making.
