Who’s looking for some free, out-of-this-world family fun during a pandemic? You, probably, if you’re like most moms. This one has an educational component as well, so listen up! It’s a win-win-win!
July 13th, 14th and 15th, you can see the NEOWISE comment just after dusk with the naked eye—no telescope or binoculars required!
I remember seeing Halley’s comet in (ahem) 1987 when I was 10 years old and it was an exciting and obviously unforgettable experience! So I’m gonna grab my kids for a comet-watch tonight and hope to give them a similar memory.
Comet NEOWISE is a friendly neighborhood comet (only 326 miles above the earth!) known by the less-exciting but proper name, “Comet C/2020 F3.” It was discovered quite recently, in March of this year, thanks to the NASA space telescope NEOWISE (Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer).
Bottom line, it’s fast, it’s bright, and it’s gonna be really cool to see in the skies above the horizon for the next three days!
Here’s what you need to know to get a good view of the NEOWISE comet:
NEOWISE will be most visible at dusk which is just after sunset. Don’t wait too long or you might miss it!
You’ll be able to see it low over the northwest horizon. Grab a compass if you need to so you will be looking in the right direction.
If you live in a big city with a lot of light pollution, you might have a hard time seeing it. So take a little drive to a darker place if you do.
If you know anything about astronomy, look for Venus first. It’s typically the brightest object in the sky. Then, look to the left for star Capella, and look again to the left to spot NEOWISE!
To get inspired and get the kids excited, check out the #cometneowise hashtag on Instagram for some incredible images! I can’t wait to watch tonight . . . who’s going to virtually join me?
Jenny Rapson is a follower of Christ, a wife and mom of three from Ohio and a freelance writer and editor. You can find her at her blog, Mommin' It Up, or follow her on Twitter.
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