Comet NEOWISE visible in evening skies

After dazzling observers in the predawn skies, Comet 2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is more visible after dark.

Recent images revealed the comet as two tails -- a long broad tail of dust and gas ejected from the comet as it approached and passed the Sun over the Fourth of July weekend and a smaller, thinner ion tail made up of electrons stripped off the comet by the Sun's ultraviolet radiation.

To see the comet, look to the northwest around 9:45 p.m. for the next several evenings. As the Sun sinks further below the horizon, the comet will become more visible, initially around 10 degrees, or about the width of your outstretched fist. It will appear a few degrees higher over the weekend.

The best place to see it is with a clear horizon. On the southeast side of a lake or field works well and probably has less light pollution. Binoculars can help you see the comet and its tails.

The comet will appear higher in the sky each evening, making it easier to see over cluttered horizons, but it is also likely to continue dimming as it heads out of the inner solar system.

begins 19.4º above the horizon

begins 19.4° above the horizon If you are an early riser, Friday is your last chance from central North Carolina to see the comet before dawn. It rises around 4:30 a.m. and will be visible for less than 30 minutes before the rising Sun makes the comet too difficult to see.