Lichtspiel

Neowise ist mit freiem Auge in der Morgendämmerung zu sehen. Foto: Hanslmeier

Komet mit freiem Auge zu sehen

Nachtschwärmer oder Frühaufsteher können dieser Tage ab etwa 3.30 Uhr den Komet Neowise als helles Objekt am Himmel ausnehmen, und zwar östlich der Venus. Ab Mitte Juli ist er dann gegen 22 Uhr sichtbar. "Er stammt aus den Tiefen des Sonnensystems und wird in etwa 6000 Jahren wiederkehren", erklärt Astrophysiker Arnold Hanslmeier. Der Kern des Kometen besteht aus Eis, Staub und Gestein und misst nur wenige Kilometer. Nähert er sich der Sonne, verdampft das Eis und bildet den Schweif, der bei Neowise mehrere Milionen Kilometer lang ist. "Für die Astrophysik sind Komenten besonders interessant, da es sich hierbei um Material handelt, das sich seit der Bildung des Sonnesystems vor etwa 4,6 Milliarden Jahren nicht mehr verändert hat", so Hanslmeier.

Dagmar Eklaude

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