NEOWISE Comet: How and when to see the once in 6,000 years phenomena

Comet NEOWISE also known as C/2020 F3 is now well and truly visible from the Earth. For the next 20 days or so, the comet will be visible to the naked eye each day for 20 minutes. Skygazers have a once in a lifetime chance to experience a comet that comes back only once every 6,000 years. For the next few days the comet will be visible an hour before dawn. As the month goes on the comet will be visible in the evening before it fades away in the month of August. 

The NEOWISE comet will be the closest to Earth on July 22. The distance at that point will be roughly 103 million kilometers from our planet. 

“From July 14, C/2020 F3, a comet discovered on March 27, will be clearly visible in the north-western sky. It will be visible after sunset for around 20 minutes for the next 20 days. People can observe it from naked eyes,” Odisha planetarium’s Deputy Director, Dr. Subhendu Pattnaik told ANI. “In the evenings to follow, the comet will rapidly climb higher in the sky and will be visible for a longer period,” he added.

How and When to watch NEOWISE Comet

For those hoping to catch a glimpse of  Comet NEOWISE before it’s gone, there are several observing opportunities over the coming days when it will become increasingly visible shortly after sunset in the northwest sky. If you’re looking at the sky without the help of observation tools, Comet NEOWISE will likely look like a fuzzy star with a bit of a tail, so using binoculars or a small telescope is recommended to get the best views of this object. 

For those hoping to see Comet Neowise for themselves, here’s what to do: 

• Find a spot away from city lights with an unobstructed view of the sky

• Just after sunset, look below the Big Dipper in the northwest sky

• If you have them, bring binoculars or a small telescope to get the best views of this dazzling display

How to spot Comet NEOWISE

How to spot NEOWISE Comet