Tonight will be Optimal for Viewing Comet Neowise

If you want to see one of the brightest comets of the past several decades, the viewing will be excellent tonight over the Northwest for comet Neowise.

A picture taken by the Seattle National Weather Service last night

If you want to view a spectacular video of the comet from Skunk Bay Weather on the Kitsap Peninsula, check this out:


Our skies are clear or nearly clear today over nearly all the land area of the region, with the exception of the coast. There is no wildfire smoke to contend with.


And the latest model cloud forecast suggests that excellent viewing conditions without clouds will continue for most areas tonight (see forecast for 11 PM tonight below).  Only the coast will be an issue.


When and how should you view it?

Because of our short nights and extended twilight, you have to wait at least an hour and a half after sunset (which is at 9 PM) to get a decent view.  So wait until 10:30 PM to check it out--and 11 PM would be better.  Middle of the night is fine if you are up.

Look to the Northwest about 10-15 degrees above the horizon.  If you know constellations, it is below and to the east of the Big Dipper.    To give you an idea, here is an image last night from the Skunk Bay Weather can  that was looking north (taken around 11 PM).


If you can, find a location without a lot of lights and give your eyes a few minutes to adjust.  Binoculars really help.    I was able to view the comet from North Seattle last night without difficulty.

The comet is probably the brightest since comet Hale-Bopp in 1997,  so it is definitely worth a look.  It will be closest to the earth on July 23rd (64 million miles) but it will begin to fade as it gets further from the sun.


Throughout history, comets have generally been consider portents or omens of bad news.  Considering that the comet was discovered on March 27th of this year, after which we have had nothing but trouble, there is some empirical evidence for this suggestion.  But I prefer to think of such celestial wonders as just the opposite, signs of the superficiality and transience of our squabbles and disagreements and the beauty and order of the world around us.

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”

William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

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