Stunning comet graces the North East skies
A COMET has been captured on camera streaking across the skies over the North East.
Comet Neowise was spotted above St Mary’s Island, in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
It swept within Mercury’s orbit earlier this month and its close proximity to the sun caused dust and gas to burn off its surface and create an even greater debris.
It then headed our way and has been seen by stargazers across the UK and around the world.
PA news agency photographer Owen Humphreys captured images of the comet lined up with St Mary’s Lighthouse at around 12.45am.
He said: “It was a lot brighter than
I thought it would be, and you could see it clearly with the naked eye.
“The tail was visible, and there was the added bonus of the noctilucent clouds.”
Nasa’s Neowise infrared space telescope discovered the comet in March and scientists involved in the mission said the comet is about three miles across.
Its nucleus is covered with sooty material dating back to the origin of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
The comet will be visible around the world until mid-August, provided it does not disintegrate, before heading back towards the outer solar system.
While it is visible with the naked eye in dark skies with little or no light pollution, binoculars are needed to see the long tail, according to Nasa.
It will be at its closest to Earth on
July 23 but will still be about 64 million miles away.
Dr Robert Massey, from the Royal Astrological Society, said Neowise was last in the inner solar system 4,500 years ago and it was not expected to return for another 6,800 years.
He said: “I would encourage everyone to take a look if they can, if they have clear skies, and get away from light pollution if they can.”