
One can apparently download files for offline viewing. You select theyour results would depend of course on the connection speed and on how many databases are being utilized. Hubble images, the Simbad database, and the VizieR service. Instead of the internet, Aladin browses through astronomy images, density maps, and other astronomy sources, e.g. Now you can change the time to evening and see where the comet will appear from your location.1- Aladin could be thought of as an astronomy browser. Now you can go to the search window by pressing F3, type ‘C/2020 F3 NEOWISE’ and hit enter, and you’ll see the comet selected.

Choose the ‘Solar System’ tab along the top bar.On the left bar, scroll down and select ‘Solar System Editor’.

On the top menu of the window that opens, select ‘Plugins’.On the left menu, choose ‘configuration’.Install and run the software, make sure to specify your location.It’s open source, no ads, and lightweight! Here’s what to do (use the slideshow at the bottom to follow along): It’s a free and fun way to track the comet from where you live, and doesn’t take a lot of effort to set up. There are plenty of maps of where the comet will be, but I find the best way is to actually import the data into stellarium. It could be decades before we see another comet like this, and so now is the time to go see it, observe it, photograph it, and share it with everyone! A light curve of C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, from my favourite comet tracking website: This is the case with the new comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE, which became nearly visible to the naked eye over the past few weeks. A comet that no one pays attention to can suddenly brighten and become something seen and enjoyed by millions around the world. Comets are unpredictable by nature, and there are many cases where the next ‘comet of the century’ with hype and promise, fizzles and remains nearly invisible. The ice melts, pockets of trapped gas burst forth, releasing dust, ionizing particles as they are blown millions of kilometres behind in an extensive trail.

Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Lab/Parker Solar Probe/Brendan Gallagher Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE captured by the Parker Solar Probe as it swings around the Sun. These small, icy, dirty clumps remain dim and dark through over 90% of their journey from the distant reaches of the Solar System, but once they close in on the immense heat of our nearest star, things change. It’s an amazing time to look up to the night sky! For the first time in nearly 6700 years, comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE has made it’s return to the inner solar system.
