Comet gives Earth a light show - 10th August 2020

A newly identified comet has been visible across the world during July. Comet Neowise’s orbit passed Earth close enough for it to be seen across the northern hemisphere. Unusually bright, the comet was even visible without a telescope.

Comets are frozen balls of gas, rock and dust. When close to the sun, they are heated and release gas which forms a burning ‘tail’. Comet Neowise was visible low in the sky with its tail pointing upwards, which made it easy to identify among the stars.

The comet’s orbit came closest to Earth on 23rd July, when it was 103 million kilometres away. That is equivalent to 400 times the distance to the moon. Comet Neowise and its tail were even more clearly visible from the International Space Station. Astronauts on board reported it as the brightest for many years.

The comet was given the name of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE). This was the satellite which discovered it. It was found in March 2020 and measures five kilometres wide, which is about average for a comet.

The comet was seen throughout July travelling west across the sky. It is now returning on its oval orbit to the outer solar system. It will be another 6,800 years before Comet Neowise is back in the inner solar system.