How to See Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

[Dogtown]

How to see NEOWISE, the best and brightest naked-eye comet in years

The comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is bright and easy to spot after sunset. Here's how.

www.syfy.com

It's been tricky to see at dawn because it's been approaching the sun, but now that it's passed by and is quickly approaching its closest point to us, the next couple weeks will be pretty spectacular if you can get clear, dark skies. Unfortunately, it won't get close to the magnitude of Hale-Bopp in 1996.

 

[Eli17L]

Cool. So look at the horizon in the AM?

 

[Dogtown]

Yes, if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you need to look towards the eastern horizon this week before the sun rises. Next week it'll be easier to see at dusk, so as the sun sets in the west, the comet will slowly rise. It should be brightest around the 23rd.

 

[Eli17L]

How many fingers over the horizon? My grandson gets up with me at 5 and this will be exciting. We sat out discussing the moon this morning. He's 3.

 

[Dogtown]

Right now it's pretty low on the horizon.

 

[stilesg57]

Seeing Jupiter with its moons and Saturn near each other (through my Razor, ha) the last two weeks has been pretty awesome -- I'll be looking for this one.

 

[BytorJr]

Yes, if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you need to look towards the eastern horizon this week before the sun rises. Next week it'll be easier to see at dusk, so as the sun sets in the west, the comet will slowly rise. It should be brightest around the 23rd.

Cool. I have a mountain on my west side, so that's out. And to the east another, but lower elevation. I'll have to skymap this thing.

 

[BytorJr]

Seeing Jupiter with its moons and Saturn near each other (through my Razor, ha) the last two weeks has been pretty awesome -- I'll be looking for this one.

What power? I may have to bring out my unmounted Minox.

 

[stilesg57]

What power? I may have to bring out my unmounted Minox.

Could make out the Galilean moons starting at around 15x and Saturn's rings at about 20x. Both pretty awesome at 27x. Not quite enough to make out the Great Red Spot but I think that's a function of objective size (I know next to nothing about optics/telescopes). Jupiter is easy to pick out even on a full moon; Saturn is quite a bit fainter and just trailing it low and left.

Yeah definitely unmounted on my balcony in uptown Chicago

 

[Dogtown]

You don’t need a lot of magnification to see Jupiter and the Galilean moons right now. A decent telephoto lens or spotting scope will do the trick.

 

[stilesg57]

Rifle scopes are all I have in my apartment right now ha

 

[Dogtown]

Some good comet spotting info here

 

[acudaowner]

and remember to keep looking up

don't have people like him and tv shows like that anymore on tv its a shame .

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Saw it tonite as we had a clear crisp night. Awesome! Just below the Big Dipper to the Northwest is you are in New England. Low on the horizon. About 10pm is best viewing here.
wow!

Sirhr

 

[Spdy]

We saw it last night also. Below and left of the Big Dipper as Sirhr said. Tail was visible through binoculars. A number of planets were also visible.

 

[Dogtown]

It's trajectory is closest to Earth tonight, so if you haven't seen it yet, tonight is the night!

 

[davsco]

We saw it last night also. Below and left of the Big Dipper as Sirhr said. Tail was visible through binoculars. A number of planets were also visible.

ditto, with 8x binos, very cool. will try the spotting scope tonite.