Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, discovered only a few months ago, is now putting on a marvelous show in the northern sky.
I went out last week with a 55mm F1.8 lens to capture some obligatory comet photos and then turned my camera on a few other highlights of the July 2020 evening sky over Wisconsin. Click on a picture to expand it.
I. Comet NEOWISE above the pines:
Comet NEOWISE and a pine grove. About 1½ hours after sunset.
II. Comet NEOWISE and the Farm Silo
Comet NEOWISE nears the horizon, with a farm silo illuminated in the distance. About 2¼ hours after sunset.
III. Jupiter and Saturn
Jupiter is the brightest object in this photograph of the southern horizon. Saturn is also visible as a bright speck to the lower left of Jupiter. Both planets are nearly opposite the sun as viewed from earth, with Jupiter’s opposition on July 14 and Saturn’s on July 20.
IV. The Big Dipper
The Big Dipper
V. Scorpius
The bright red star near the center of this photo is Antares, which marks the heart of the Scorpius constellation. Ptolemy’s Cluster is visible in the lower left corner between the trees.
VI. The Northeast Horizon
The red lights of radio towers glow on the horizon below a thin layer of clouds. The Double Cluster is visible in the clear sky high above the two radio towers on the left. Meanwhile, the Andromeda Galaxy appears as a bright smudge near the center right.
