Meteors are bright but brief. Asteroids are fun and fascinating. But there's something about a comet and its showy tail that adds an extra layer of excitement to skywatching.
Astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station are being treated to a view of comet C/2020 F3 Neowise (let's just call it "Neowise") as it has come into view of Earth.
NASA astronaut Bob Behnken and Roscosmos cosmonaut Ivan Vagner both shared images of the comet over the weekend as seen from the ISS.
Behnken posted four views of the comet early on Sunday, saying "Last night's fireworks, for real. Because Science." You'll have to blow up the images and take a close look to spot Neowise, which is near the center of the photos and just outside of the bright curve of the Earth.
Last night's fireworks, for real. Because Science. #NEOWISE #comet pic.twitter.com/IKcJ1wLFAl
— Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) July 5, 2020
Vagner's view gives us a nice clear look at the comet and its tail. The cosmonaut called it the brightest comet seen over the last seven years.
During the next revolution I tried to capture the C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) comet a bit closer, the brightest one over the last 7 years.
— Ivan Vagner (@ivan_mks63) July 4, 2020
Its tail is quite clearly visible from the @Space_Station!#ISS #comet #NEOWISE pic.twitter.com/FnWkCummD6
Space fans are hoping Neowise will become easily visible to the naked eye for all of us down here on Earth. Observers have already been able to snap some impressive views of the object. Astrophotographer Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn shared a stunning shot over the Toronto skyline.
Comet NEOWISE and the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada 🍁! I was up really early for this shot. It's not often that we get the opportunity to see or photograph a comet of this brightness and with a tail. I hope you like it!🤩 https://t.co/BFyxFFw2DE pic.twitter.com/sGZBiEVryM
— Kerry LH💫 (@weatherandsky) July 5, 2020
It's been a year of hope when it comes to comets as astronomers have been rooting for several contenders to light up our skies. Neowise is now our best bet for a cosmic comet show in 2020.
