Re: [BAA Comets] 2020 F3 (NEOWISE) Nick James 05 Jul 2020 20:39 UTC

We have some impressive images of C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) in our archive here:

https://britastro.org/cometobs/2020f3/thumbnails.html

This is a particularly nice one taken by Oscar Martin Mesonero this
morning from Salamanca, Spain:

https://britastro.org/cometobs/2020f3/2020f3_20200705_0300_omesonero.html

The comet is probably somewhere around first magnitude so definitely
worth looking for despite the low altitude and bright sky.

Tomorrow (Monday, July 6) morning offers a possible opportunity to see
and image the comet from the UK. The weather forecast shows patchy cloud
over a large part of the country so the more people who try the more
chance there is that we will get positive results.

You need to find somewhere with a clear, unobstructed horizon around
azimuth 28 - 33 deg. Monday morning the comet will be around 3 degrees
directly below theta Aurigae. Look for Capella which will be around 17
deg up , come straight down towards the horizon and a little to the
left. Use a pair of binoculars to find the comet and then see if it is
visible with the naked eye.

Start looking around 0130 UT (0230 BST) as the comet rises above the
horizon. From Birmingham it will be 2 deg up at an azimuth of 28 deg at
01:35 UT. By 0200 UT it will be almost 4 deg up but the dawn sky will be
brightening.

This is a rare opportunity to see a naked eye comet so set your alarms
from 2am BST and get out to observe it! Best of luck. I look forward to
receiving your observations.

Disclaimer - If you don't see it please don't blame me for the lost sleep!

Nick.