Comet Neowise!

You all probably know about the most impressive comet to visit our solar system since Hale Bopp in 1997.

In recent days, Neowise was visible in the early morning. However, if you are like us, it may not have been convenient to get up at 4 a.m.

Now, for a few more days, it's visible in the early evening, to the northeast, below and a bit to the right of the "pan" of the Big Dipper. We are fortunate enough to see it from our street. You need it to be quite dark (ask your neighbors to turn off their yard lights), and it takes some time to let your eyes adjust. When you see it, you will agree... It is very cool.

If you'd like to see what the comet looks like from the International Space Station, here is a stunning video complete with music composed by Sean Doran. Here is the link to youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh1_wHdUx3Y

Like lots of youtube videos, you have to watch an ad for 15 seconds or so, then comes the video. If you click on the "full screen" button and turn on your sound, you will be impressed. It's a 7-minute video showing the Earth below the International Space Station at night. You can easily see the ground and city lights moving below the ISS, which is going 17,000 miles per hour. The view is spectacular. As the video shows, the ISS is moving toward dawn, and the upper left side of the screen shows what the growing dawn light looks like from the ISS. At about 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the video, the comet rises above the horizon. There is no magnification in the video, so it looks quite small and distant. But it is gorgeous.

With the beautiful music, the whole 7-minute viewing experience is calming and meditative and reminds the viewer of just how special our Earth and the solar system is.

Amazing.

For the next few days, find a dark place with little light pollution and a view to the northeast. Go out at 9:30 p.m. or a bit later. Look for the Big Dipper. The comet will be below the pan of the dipper.