The Neowise comet, essentially an enormous iceberg in space, has been dazzling star-gazers for the past several nights. (Gregory Arkos)

By Ian Holmes

Astronomical

Nanaimo space buffs dazzled by brightest comet in decades

Jul 17, 2020 | 12:52 PM

NANAIMO — A rare show featuring a large, bright and resilient comet is capturing the attention of local stargazers.

A five kilometre long, recently discovered comet named Neowise is producing impressive bright streaks, VIU astronomy professor Dr. Gregory Arkos told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said many analysts were initially skeptical the comet would last, referencing other recent promising meteoric formations of ice rock fizzling from the sun’s heat.

“Neowise looks like it’s delivering. It actually survived swimming around the sun and it brightened up and is now sprouting a tail and is in fact naked-eye visible,” an upbeat Arkos said.

While still millions of kilometers away and not a threat to us, Arkos said Neowise will be at its closest point to Earth on July 22, before it will fade in the following weeks and months.

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Arkos has captured numerous pictures of the comet from the northwest to northeast part of the sky above the horizon.

He said unlike the annual Perseids meteor shower in August featuring random, short bursts of light, Neowise produces extended entertainment.

“You should be able to watch it all night long,” Arkos said. “As the earth spins and rotates, the sky appears to move and the comet tracks along from the northwest at sunset into the northeast skies in early morning.”

Arkos said there is more to see overhead than usual these days, as the pre-dawn sky delivers two other impressive forms of eye candy.

Noctilucent clouds, which are the highest altitude clouds formed around meteor smoke, are visible in our skies.

“They are these spider-webby, electric blue clouds that appear long after the light has faded from the sky and catches sunlight 100 kilometres above the earth. They are very ghostly and beautiful.”

Neowise is visible on the left side of the frame, while spectacular noctilucent clouds sit above Nanaimo. (Gregory Arkos)

Arkos said noctilucent clouds can be viewed in the northern part of the sky, which aren’t normally in view this far south.

Early risers can also enjoy the planet Venus, viewable to the east.

“It’s spectacularly bright, you cannot miss that,” Arkos said.

Nanaimo Astronomy Society members are closely watching Neowise, which president Chris Boar said is the most prolific comet in terms of brightness viewable from Earth since the late 1970’s.

He said since public telescope gatherings to view Neowise are out of the question due to the pandemic, people are sharing a range of stunning images online.

“We have to rely on social media, there’s been lots of daily posts by our members and the general public taking pictures of the comet,” Boar said.

The Nanaimo Astronomy Society has numerous pictures of Neowise available on its public Facebook page.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes