Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) dazzled observers around the world during the summer of 2020, becoming the brightest comet visible from the Northern Hemisphere in over two decades. Discovered on March 27, 2020, by NASA’s NEOWISE space telescope, the comet made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on July 3, passing just 0.29 AU (about 27 million miles) away. By mid-July, it became clearly visible to the naked eye—first in the early morning sky, then in the evening—reaching a brightness of about magnitude +1. With a nucleus roughly 5 kilometers (3 miles) across, Comet NEOWISE developed a spectacular yellow-white dust tail and a fainter bluish ion tail, making it a favorite target for astrophotographers and skywatchers.
On July 23, 2020, NEOWISE made its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 64 million miles, offering a stunning show to millions across the globe during a time of global uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its orbital period is estimated at around 6,800 years, meaning it won’t return to our skies for many millennia. The comet’s striking appearance and accessibility from populated areas made it one of the most widely viewed and documented comets in modern history. Beyond its beauty, NEOWISE also gave astronomers valuable insights into the makeup of distant solar system objects, making it a scientific and cultural standout of the decade.
These are images I shot of Comet NEOWISE in July 2020. I used a tripod mounted Nikon D5100 and Nikkor 55-200mm lens for most of the images below but the first image was through a Meade Series 6000 70mm Quad APO Astrograph telescope. Additionally, I have included a short time-lapse video of NEOWISE setting on the evening of July 19, 2020. This video was shot with a GoPro HERO8 Black using “nightscape” mode.
Click on any of the images below for a better view and additional details regarding each image.
