                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 July 7

                         Comet NEOWISE over Lebanon
               Image Credit & Copyright: Maroun Habib (Moophz)

   Explanation: A comet has suddenly become visible to the unaided eye.
   Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered in late March and brightened
   as it reached its closest approach to the Sun, inside the orbit of
   Mercury, late last week. The interplanetary iceberg survived solar
   heating, so far, and is now becoming closer to the Earth as it starts
   its long trek back to the outer Solar System. As Comet NEOWISE became
   one of the few naked-eye comets of the 21st Century, word spread
   quickly, and the comet has already been photographed behind many famous
   sites and cities around the globe. Featured, Comet NEOWISE was captured
   over Lebanon two days ago just before sunrise. The future brightness of
   Comet NEOWISE remains somewhat uncertain but the comet will likely
   continue to be findable not only in the early morning sky, but also
   next week in the early evening sky.

    Comet NEOWISE from Around the Globe: Notable Images Submitted to APOD
                    Tomorrow's picture: mercury extended
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

