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NEOWISE

NEOWISE (Near‑Earth Object Wide‑field Infrared Survey Explorer) is a NASA mission that repurposed the WISE spacecraft, initially launched in 2009, to detect and characterize asteroids and comets. Using infrared sensors operating at 3.4 and 4.6 µm wavelengths, NEOWISE has cataloged hundreds of thousands of minor planets—including Near‑Earth Objects—providing critical data on their sizes, orbits, and compositions.

Source: science.nasa.gov

APODs including "NEOWISE"

MAGIC NEOWISE

24/07/2020

MAGIC NEOWISE
Image Credit: Urs Leutenegger / NASA APOD

The multi-mirror, 17 meter-diameter MAGIC telescopes reflect this starry night sky from the Roque de los Muchachos European Northern Observatory on the Canary Island of La Palma. MAGIC stands for Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov and the telescopes can see the brief flashes of optical light produced in particle air showers as high-energy gamma rays impact the Earth's upper atmosphere. On July 20, two of the three telescopes in view were looking for gamma rays from the center of our Milky Way galaxy. In reflection they show the bright stars of Sagittarius and Scorpius near the galactic center to the southeast. Beyond the segmented-mirror arrays, above the northwest horizon and below the Big Dipper is Comet NEOWISE. NEOWISE stands for Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. That's the Earth-orbiting satellite used to discover the comet designated C/2020 F3, but you knew that. Comet NEOWISE Images: July 23 || 22 || 21 || 20 || 19 || 18 || 17 || 16 || 15 || 14 || 13 || 12 || 11 || 10 & earlier