Last Night Fireworks: NASA Astronaut Shares Images Of 'Comet NEOWISE' From ISS

Jul 08, 2020, 09:03 IST
Representational Image - Sakshi Post

NASA astronaut Bob Behnken shared some of the stunning images of the 'Comet NEOWISE' or C/2020 F3. It was discovered on March 27, 2020, by the Neowise Space technology. At that time the icy lump was not clear and the astronomers weren't sure that would change. But with each passing day, the comet has brightened. Bob Behnken took to his micro-blogging site and posted the images from the International Space Station on Sunday (July 5), a day after Americans celebrated with artificial firework displays. Here is the tweet made by Bob Behnken.

One of Behnken's colleagues onboard the orbiting laboratory, the Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner, also clicked the comet, with its tail in clear contrast against the blackness of space seen above the gleaming blue atmosphere of the Earth.

A good pair of binoculars are required to catch the sight of Comet NEOWISE, and the skywatchers are not yet sure whether the icy hunk will be so bright and its tail will be easily visible to the unaided eye. The comet will be dazzled in the month of July at its closest approach to Earth, which happens on the 22nd of July.

Both Vagner and Behnken will stay in orbit long enough to observe the close approach from space. Behnken, who arrived onboard the first crewed SpaceX Crew Dragon on May 31, is scheduled to return to Earth with his NASA colleague Doug Hurley at the beginning of August. Until October, Vagner and two other astronauts will remain in space.

Many people shared the pictures of the comet as seen from Earth. Take a look here.

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Tags: 
NASA
SpaceX
Comet NEOWISE
ISS
Last Night Fireworks
Bob Behnken Twitter
Images Of Comet NEOWISE
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