Every so often, though, for a variety of reasons, one or more of these comets breaks loose and is drawn by the sun’s gravity toward the inner solar system. Most comets spend their entire lives in the deeply cold outer reaches of the solar system beyond the planets. NEOWISE is believed to have a nucleus about 3 miles wide. The solid nucleus of a comet is usually a mountain-sized frozen dirtball made of ice, dust and rocky rubble that are remnants from the formation of our solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. This week could be the peak of the Comet NEOWISE show and it passes within 65 million miles of Earth! Late this past week, though, it’s been leaving the morning skies and is becoming visible in the early evening around 10 p.m. It’s been mostly visible in the early morning, just before, and during, the early stages of twilight. Since around the Fourth of July, it’s been visible to the naked eye, even in light-polluted areas. Without a doubt it is already the brightest comet since Comet Hyakutake in the mid-’90s. Who can blame anybody for being cynical?Ĭomet NEOWISE, though, is more than making up for exaggerated forecasts. With all these claims of bright comets coming, it’s understandable that when people hear or see them they up they chalk it up to media hype. Those comets broke up when they got close to the sun.
![neowise visibility neowise visibility](https://jessemercury.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Space-Nerds-Crew-Small.jpg)
In fact, some predictions went way over the top with promises like: “Comet of the Century this Month!” or “Comet Coming Visible in Daylight!” Even this year there have been two false alarms for potential bright comets.
![neowise visibility neowise visibility](https://weathersource.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/50103972657_47fdaa4a45_o-1024x751.jpg)
Over the last several years there have been forecasts of bright comets coming.