The first naked-eye comet of 2020 has arrived — finally.
After two comets have already failed to meet naked-eye expectations this year, Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) made its closest approach to the Sun on Friday, July 3. It reached a distance of just 0.29 astronomical units (27 million miles or 43.4 million kilometers) from the Sun — a bit closer than Mercury’s average distance. (One astronomical unit, or AU, is the average Earth-Sun distance.)
Comet NEOWISE, which was discovered by NASA's Near Earth Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), is currently in the constellation Auriga. This means it will remain visible in the northeast to Northern Hemisphere observers over the next few days. It’s low on the horizon, though, and continuing to sink.
The comet’s show will take an intermission around July 11, as it ducks below the horizon. But it is expected to reemerge in the night sky around July 15 or 16. And as it gets higher in elevation, it should stand out more and become even easier to see — that is, if it doesn't completely break apart by then. At that point, the comet will have moved away from Auriga and east into Lynx. Within another few days, it will pass through Ursa Major.
But in the meantime, keep checking back in to astronomy.com, as we'll continue to update the image gallery below with the best shots of Comet NEOWISE we can get our hands on. Enjoy the show!
Young observers
The photographer's two children, pointing out the comet on July 7. His daughter exclaimed, "I saw the comet, I saw it!" as her father captured this shot.
Spanning the sky
NEOWISE appears to fill the sky above Marfa, Texas.
A likely place
This stunning shot features NEOWISE above the green at Likely Place Golf & RV Resort in Californa.
Sliding under the Big Dipper
Comet NEOWISE passes the Big Dipper in late July, showing off its lengthy tail just after dark.
Black and white
This black-and-white processed version of the previous image offers better contrast to bring out not only the comet's tail, but also several background objects: M101, M51, M63, M106, M108, and even M97.
Going green
Comet NEOWISE shows off its green color in a July 28 image, taken with a 10-inch Orion Astrograph from Payson, Arizona.
Falling through space
This stunning shot of NEOWISE was taken from the dark skies of Lake Crennegen in Northwest Wales.
To extremes
Extreme processing using a contrast stretch reveals a gas tail of around 35 degrees on July 21.
Still going strong
Despite beginning to fade, NEOWISE was still putting on a great show in this July 21 snapshot.
Delicate features
NEOWISE stands out dramatically against the dark sky in this shot for Payson, Arizona, taken July 17.
Picture perfect
The comet appears perfectly framed by trees as seen from the photographer's home.
Multicolored
By July 12, NEOWISE was readily visible in the evening sky. Here, it appears above Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Over the treetops
Longtime Astronomy contributor Tony Hallas captured the comet before dawn on July 11.
A fanlike tail
This stunning image was captured in the early morning hours of July 8, 2020, showing off the comet's broad, fanlike tail as it soared through the sky.
A dawn tableau
Comet NEOWISE at dawn, as seen from the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire on the morning of July 7, 2020. The comet's gossamer tail can be easily seen arcing away from the ever-brightening horizon.
Bright streak
This 10-second exposure shows Comet NEOWISE over Payson, Arizona on July 7, 2020.
Glowing green
This deep image of NEOWISE was taken in late May 2020 - months before the comet became visible to the naked eye.
Morning wonder
Astrophotographer Jamie Cooper snagged this shot of C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) from Brancaster beach in Norfolk, U.K., in the early hours of July 6, 2020.
Above the clouds
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) floats above land and clouds on July 6, 2020.
Bright spots
This heavily processed and stacked shot of the comet on July 6, 2020, shows not only its tail, but also its bright nucleus - with two possible fragments just behind it. Comets often break up near the Sun, but NEOWISE was still holding strong several days later.
Golden glow
NEOWISE rises tail-first over a plateau, some 20 miles distant, in the Arizona sky. Its tail appears a brilliant yellow-gold, stretching away from its bright nucleus.
Falling star
This image, captured July 9 as the comet flew over Cape Cod, Massachusetts, shows NEOWISE as it grew brighter and its tail began to lengthen.
New and old
Comet NEOWISE appears in the skies above the famous astronomical site of Stonehenge on the early morning of July 13.
Duality
According to the photographer, despite its long tail, Comet NEOWISE was beginning to noticeably fade in brightness by July 12.
Night-shining clouds
Comet NEOWISE shares the sky with a beautiful display of noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds.
Delicate waves
These delicate noctilucent clouds make it look as though the comet is underwater as it flies over Wales.
Morning sight
This shot was captured July 8, when NEOWISE still appeared in the morning sky.
