A bright object in the nighttime sky has captured the attention and imagination of stargazers around the world this month, including a few photographers in Powell River.
When the comet NEOWISE, or C/2020 F3, first became visible to the naked eye in early July, members of Powell River Astrophotographers Club had to be patient and wait for clear skies to view and photograph the astronomical object.
“With this comet we waited for days, weeks, to have clear skies, and we had two really clear nights on the 12th and 13th,” said club member Doris Guevara-Isert. “The weather has been awful this month, and that’s the big thing for us. Right now is the best time because the weather is nice and clear, supposedly, in the summer.”
When the weather finally cooperated, Guevara-Isert said it was worth the wait and an exciting time for the club. She and fellow club founders Jennifer Salisbury, Carl Anderson, and Curt Tweedle were excited about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“The interesting thing about this comet is that it will not come back for almost 7,000 years, so that is pretty neat,” said Guevara-Isert. “We were all head over heels.”
When first discovered by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), the comet was 312 million kilometres from Earth and only visible using powerful telescopes. C/2020 F3 will be closest to Earth on July 22, when it passes by at a distance of 100 million kilometres.
“As an adult, this is the first time I have seen a comet,” said Guevara-Isert. “It is not as bright as Hale-Bopp, but I will say it’s the second best.”
Hale-Bopp was visible to the naked eye for about 18 months in the late 1990s.
Guevara-Isert said people are able to see NEOWISE with the naked eye, but it can be appreciated more by using a telescope or even binoculars.
“For us, with a camera, it has sensors that make it possible to see more details when you do a long exposure,” she added.
When the group planned a trip to Mowat Bay to take pictures, Guevara-Isert said she joked with fellow members, saying since the location is one of the few in the area that offers a clear view to the north, they might get shots of the comet, the Aurora Borealis and a meteor going through the middle.
“Well, the second day, when we got the aurora, we just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “That was like, oh my gosh.”
Group members are always thinking about which location is the best for viewing and photography, and have continued documenting the comet when weather permits. Tweedle has taken pictures of C/2020 F3 from a spot above the sea walk.
“If you have an unobstructed view towards the north, you will see it,” said Guevara-Isert. “It’s not that low on the horizon; the tricky part is making sure it is dark enough and the skies are clear.
She added that she has seen the comet from the window of her house in Westview.
“Around 3 am I could clearly see it above the treeline. It is just below Ursa Major [Big Dipper].”
Guevara-Isert said the reaction to photos the group has posted on the Powell River Astrophotographers Club Facebook page has been “amazing.”
“We put up the posts of the comet, and so many people showed up to Mowat Bay the next night,” she added. “It was so rewarding to see the families with the kids.”
Salisbury created and moderates the page for the group, which started small but has been growing of late, adding people as requests come in.
The four original members met for the first time about a year ago through a Facebook group based in Sechelt and later went for coffee together.
“Somebody took a Milky Way picture and posted it,” said Guevara-Isert. “I’m an amateur trying to learn and find the right settings and lenses for the camera, so I asked the person if they could share the data, and he did.”
She added that other people were interested in the same information, including Salisbury, Anderson and Tweedle.
“We started talking, all excited because this picture was taken at Myrtle Rocks; that is the reason we were very curious to see how and when he did it.”
The four shared a common interest: nighttime photography, which, until the meeting, involved going out on their own in the dark.
“Not many people are interested in nighttime photography, as there are bears and cougars,” said Guevara-Isert. “Jennifer suggested going together one day.”
Guevara-Isert said original and new members are always sharing when something astronomical is happening, in this case the comet, but also for taking pictures of the moon rise.
She has always liked photography, but became serious about taking photos at night about two and a half years ago.
“I saw some shiny lights at Mowat Bay; it was about 11:30 pm driving back from a party, and I just decided to go to the bay and see what it was because it was really strange,” she added. “It turns out it was the Aurora Borealis; that day there was a really strong solar storm visible from here with the naked eye. I wish I had my camera.”
That day she decided she needed to learn more, starting with taking photos of the Milky Way.
“I keep updated on when there is a solar storm and possibilities to see the Aurora from here, and there are apps for that,” Guevara-Isert. “They are unpredictable but they know when the solar winds are heading to Earth. Normally they are stronger at higher latitudes but sometimes it can go all the way down to the states.”
The next time it happened, Guevara-Isert had her camera and took photos for the first time.
“I’m from Nicaragua, so that blew my mind,” she said. “I had never seen it until that day.”
The comet will be visible until the end of July, when it will disappear and continue its journey to the outer reaches of the solar system.
“Since I was a kid, I have spent hours sitting in the yard at my house, laying on the grass looking at the stars; that was absolutely mesmerizing for me,” said Guevara-Isert. “I had an interest in astronomy and with technology nowadays, as an adult, I started seeing all these beautiful pictures of the Milky Way and stars, and deep space, and I wanted to see that.”
Now she does, with a closer view than most.
The presence of NEOWISE is something Guevara-Isert will remember for a long time.
“It is just amazing,” she said, “for us geeks who like that.”
For more information, search for Powell River Astrophotographers Club on Facebook.
