Comet Neowise (C/2020 F3), showing the white dust tail and blue ion tail. Bands, or striae, representing areas of greater and lesser density are visible in the dust tail. This comet was discovered on 27th March 2020 by astronomers using the NEOWISE (Wide-Field Infrared Explorer) space telescope. It became visible to the naked eye by July 2020, and is one of the brightest comets since comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. It made its closest approach to the Sun on 3rd July 2020 at a distance of 43 million kilometres. Photographed from Pampilhosa da Serra, Dark Sky Aldeias do Xisto, Portugal, 17th July, 2020.