What was the Comet NEOWISE event?
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for September 13, 2026, highlights a dramatic time-lapse video of Comet NEOWISE. The footage captures the celestial object rising over the Adriatic Sea, framed by noctilucent clouds and distant stars. Originally observed in 2020, the comet became one of the few visible to the unaided eye this century, earning the title of the Great Comet of 2020.
How was the comet footage captured?
The featured video was created by combining over 240 individual images taken during a 30-minute window on July 8, 2020. The photographer captured the comet as it ascended before sunrise in Italy. The resulting sequence showcases the comet's ion and dust tails, which emanate from a nucleus approximately five kilometers in diameter, providing a rare look at an inner-Solar System intruder.
