A Dazzling Comet with an Unusual Green Glow is Soaring Across the Sky

Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) is about to have a close encounter with the sun--just inside the orbit of Mercury on May 27th. Although Comet SWAN is technically a naked-eye object, it's really not. Twilight glare overwhelms the magnitude +5.5 comet, so you'll need to use optics to see it. A minutes-long exposure with a good digital camera should do the trick. The situation will improve after May 27th when the comet begins to move away from the sun. During the next several days SWAN will stand just a few degrees high in the eastern sky 90 minutes to 2 hours before sunrise. If you're out at dawn find a location with a view as close to the east-northeastern horizon as possible.



https://youtu.be/NVkrd-wNuz4

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