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Comet NEOWISE: Last chance in around 6,800 years to see incoming comet

Buddy_Nath / Pixabay

Space enthusiasts and astronomers are all looking forward to witnessing the passing of Comet NEOWISE this week. NASA has since warned that this upcoming flyby will be the last chance to see the comet as it will only return around 6,800 years later.

Express reports that the agency has announced that the coming of Comet NEOWISE will be on July 23, following its close approach a few weeks prior last July 3 and its first sighting by NASA back in March. NASA has also reminded everyone who wants to witness the passing by of the comet to take advantage of its increased visibility to the naked eye as it gets closer and closer to Earth’s orbit. Once it has passed by, Comet NEOWISE will not return for another 6,800 years.

According to the Royal Astrological Society’s Dr. Robert Massey, the comet’s last visit to the Solar System was 4,500 years ago. “I would encourage everyone to take a look if they can, if they have clear skies, and get away from light pollution if they can.”

NASA has since revealed that the comet NEOWISE is expected to remain visible in the skies in the Northern hemisphere over the next few weeks. “The tail was visible, and there was the added bonus of the noctilucent clouds. During the rest of July, Comet NEOWISE will head through Lynx and into Ursa Major, passing beneath the familiar asterism of seven bright stars known as the Big Dipper, or the Plough.”

For those who want to take a photo of the comet, a long exposure setting is needed in order to capture the comet at around 5 to 10 seconds. The lens should be at its maximum aperture and have a high ISO, somewhere between 800 to 3200.

In other news, the US Department of Defense is preparing a top-secret space station to conduct experiments in orbit. This space station will be built by the Sierra Nevada Corporation, which will assist the federal government with various missions that will take place in space. The company has revealed its partnership with the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit but did not disclose any specifics.

According to experts, SNC may only be modifying its existing plans of a 15-foot shooting star space cargo transport vehicle rather than starting development from scratch.

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