Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)  ·  Contains:  Solar system body or event
Comet Neowise - C/2020 F3, Mark Spruce
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Comet Neowise - C/2020 F3

Comet Neowise - C/2020 F3, Mark Spruce
Powered byPixInsight

Comet Neowise - C/2020 F3

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Description

This is 10 stacked images that I took with a Nikon D810 (500mm @ ISO 100000, f6.3, 3sec) all on a fixed tripod. You can just make out the ion tail. I'm hoping to get a chance to do this properly now its a bit higher in the sky with a telescope and German Equatorial mount.

Comet Neowise is is a long period comet with a very elliptical orbit. It will take around 6700 years before we see it again. It is travelling at a relatively sedate pace of around 40 miles per second and is approximately 3 miles in diameter.

Comet tails always point away from the Sun as they are formed as the comet as it passes close to the Sun. As it gets further away it will eventually loose it tail. There are usually 2 tails seen, the dust tail, formed by volatile particles evaporating and being pushed away by the solar wind, this is usually the larger, brighter, slightly curved tail. The other tail that is harder to make out is the ion tail which is straight and formed by ultraviolet radiation exciting particles in the coma causing electrons to stream off, giving it a slightly blue colour.

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Comet Neowise - C/2020 F3, Mark Spruce