New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Tonight (07/18) and tomorrow night will be your last chances to see the brightest comet to appear since Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997 23 years ago. Only just recently discovered this March, the massive 3-mile wise comet Neowise will not make another appearance for 6,800 years.
Dubbed “Great Comet of 2020,” it will be easiest to spot in the northwestern part of the sky, just below the “bowl” of the Big Dipper about an hour after sunset. Yes, you will be able to see it with the naked eye, but if you have binoculars or a telescope you will have even better views of the once in a lifetime comet.
You will see the tail first and then the very bright coma (head) of the comet, almost as bright as a star. If you are a stargazer you and familiar with Polaris, the North Star, comet Neowise will be even brighter.
As the comet gets closer to earth it will become harder to see and after July 22nd it will slowly begin to fade and disappear from the solar system.
