Dave Gibson, The Universe. On March 27, 2020, Comet NEOWISE was discovered by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescope. Not since 1997 when Comet Hale-Bopp graced northern hemisphere skies has a comet appeared so bright from Earth.

As of early July, at an apparent magnitude of 1, it could be seen just above the northeastern horizon before sunrise. Looking like a fuzzy star with slight tail to the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope are helpful observation aids. Having now transitioned to an evening viewing object, when the clouds didn’t obstruct this past two weeks, NEOWISE could be observed below the Big Dipper. It will make its closest approach to Earth July 23 at sixty-four million miles before continuing its journey to deep in the outer solar system. Traveling at 144,000 per hour, the nucleus of Comet NEOWISE is 3 miles in diameter and composed of ice, rock, and dust. It was created 4.5 billion years ago when gas and dust formed into clumps while orbiting a newly born Sun to become planets, asteroids, and comets. Catch it while you can; Comet NEOWISE won’t pass this way again for another 6,766 years!

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