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Comet NEOWISE
This ground-based image of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was taken from the Northern Hemisphere on July 16, 2020. The inset image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope on August 8, 2020, reveals a close-up of the comet after its pass by the Sun. Hubble’s image zeroes in on the comet’s nucleus, which is too small to be seen. It’s estimated to measure no more than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) across. Instead, the image shows a portion of the comet’s coma, the fuzzy glow, which measures about 11,000 miles (18,000 kilometers) across in this image. Comet NEOWISE won’t pass through the inner solar system for another nearly 7,000 years.
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Comet
- Release DateAugust 21, 2020
- Science ReleaseHubble Snaps Close-Up of Celebrity Comet NEOWISE
- Credit
Related Images & Videos
Comet NEOWISE Close-up
This image of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope on August 8, 2020. Hubble’s image represents the first time a comet of this brightness has been photographed at such resolution after this close of a pass by the Sun. The two structures appearing on...
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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
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Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
