C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Comet

Introduction | Map | My Own Photos | My Own Observations | References

On this page I collect my observations of the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), sometimes just called NEOWISE.

Introduction

The comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) or Comet NEOWISE was discovered on March 27, 2020, by astronomers during the NEOWISE mission of the re-activated Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) space telescope. By July 2020, the comet was bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. It is one of the brightest comets in the northern hemisphere since Comet Hale–Bopp in 1997. Under dark skies, it could be seen with the naked eye and remained visible to the naked eye throughout most of July 2020. For observers in the northern hemisphere, the comet could be seen on the northwestern horizon, below the Big Dipper. North of the 45th parallel north, the comet was visible all night from July 13–22 because it was circumpolar. The perihelium (closest to the sun) was on July 23, 2020 (from Wikipedia, adapted).

Map

Position of the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on July 18, 2020 (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Position of the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on July 24, 2020 (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Photos from July 18, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau)

The Sky

The sky - Jul 18, 2020		The sky and C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Jul 18, 2020 - original size

Photos taken with Sony RX10 M4

The Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

Sky bright; 1800 pixels high		1800 pixels high		1800 pixels high		1800 pixels high
						Photos taken with Sony RX10 M4
1800 pixels high		1800 pixels high		1800 pixels high

Photos from July 21, 2020 (Erkerode near Braunschweig)

The Sky

The sky and comet C/2020 F3 - Jul 21, 2020 - original size		The sky and comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Jul 21, 2020 - original size		The sky - Jul 21, 2020 - original size

Photos taken with Sony RX10 M4

The Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

2000 pixels		2000 pixels		2000 pixels
				Photos taken with Sony RX10 M4
2000 pixels		2000 pixels

Photos from August 8, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau)

C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020		C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020		C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020
C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020, photo above processed		C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020, photo above processed		C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020, photo above processed
				Photos taken with the eVscope
C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020		C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - Aug 8, 2020, photo left processed

My Own Observations

Observations July / August 2020

• July 18, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: SM-127 on AZ Pronto, binoculars): We observed the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) on the Heiligenstein hill with the naked eye, all our binoculars, and the SM-127 on AZ Pronto; the tail looked nicest in the binoculars. Also photographed the comet with the Sony RX10 M4 on a photo tripod..
• July 21, 2020 (Erkerode: Sony RX10 M4 on AZ Pronto, TS-und LT-Fernglas): Observed the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) with view to Braunschweig/mistle tree (at the end of the street "Unter dem Steinbruch", at the edge of a field) using TS biniculars and photographed it using my Sony RX10 M4 on AZ Pronto (from briefly before 11 p.m. on); the tail was nicest in the bicoculars. After that, we observed the comet from the street in front of the house using TS and LT binoculars (about 11:30 p.m.).
• July 23, 2020 (Erkerode: TS and LT binoculars): We observed the comet from the street in front of the house using TS and LT binoculars several times (beginning from about 11 p.m.).
• July 24, 2020 (Erkerode: TS binoculars): Observed the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) from the street in front of the house using TS binoculars (about 11 p.m.).
• August 8, 2020 (Mühlhausen, eVscope): Observed primarily the comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) to see it together with M 53 in the field of view, but they were already too far apart...

References

• C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2020_F3_(NEOWISE)
• Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE): theskylive.com/c2020f3-info

On this Site

• Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 OTA Information (5" Maksutov-Cassegrain)
• Unistellar eVscope - Information
• Sky-Watcher AZ Pronto Mount Information
• My Binoculars