The Comet of the Pandemic Summer
In July 2020, as much of the world was locked down, a bright comet with a long, curved tail appeared in the northern sky. It won't be back for 6,800 years.
What was reported
Comet NEOWISE was discovered in March 2020 by a NASA space telescope of the same name. After passing close to the Sun in early July, it became the brightest comet seen from the Northern Hemisphere in more than 20 years, with a long, golden tail visible to the naked eye from dark places.
It appeared at a time when many people were confined to their homes by the COVID-19 pandemic, and photographs of it over cities, mountains and the International Space Station were shared around the world.
Explanations offered
NEOWISE is a long-period comet, coming from the far edges of the solar system. Its passage near the Sun changed its orbit, and it's not expected to return for around 6,800 years.
- When
- July 2020
- Where
- Seen across the Northern Hemisphere; here, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Witnesses
- Millions of people in lockdown
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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