Comet NEOWISE is Getting Really BRIGHT – Get Ready for a Spectacular Show!

• nemesis maturity
  Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is plunging toward the sun for a close encounter near the orbit of Mercury on July 3rd. SOHO coronagraphs are monitoring the approach, and it’s looking good. The sun-baked comet is still intact. Moreover, comparing the comet to nearby reference stars, we see that it is brightening beyond magnitude +3. This should make Comet NEOWISE a naked-eye object when it emerges from the sun’s glare in mid-July. SOHO will be monitoring the comet for the rest of the week.

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