Season 3 The Empire of Friends Blog 8: NEOWISE

NEOWISE

On March 27th, 2020, NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Explorer, or NEOWISE, discovered a comet that can only be seen from Earth every 6,800 years! About four months later, "Comet NEOWISE" Finally made its pass over the Earth. I'm not really that into science, so I didn't know about this Comet until my family went to see it.

I was in my "sisters'" backyard, Mom heard me talking to Rich. She texted me and told me to ask him if he had a telescope because ours was missing a piece. I asked Rich and he gave me a mini telescope that he had.

At 8:30 p.m., Mom, Dad, and my brothers, Ryan, Luke, and Josh, piled into the car and drove to a place called Alum Creek Dam. Mom and Dad told us to go find a spot on the top of the dam and set up our tripod while they found a parking spot.

The boys and I ran to the top, found a spot, set up the tripod, and waited for Mom and Dad to arrive. When Mom and Dad found us, we sat down in the blankets that Mom brought and waited.

Around 10:20, Ryan said he saw it through his binoculars. Shortly after, Luke Josh and Dad said they did too. Mom and I were left confused. Eventually, with a little bit of help from everyone else, Mom found it.

Because everyone had found it, they just kind of assumed that I'd found it too. I was getting incredibly frustrated because it's something that will never happen again in my lifetime, and I didn't want to miss out. Mom asked if I saw it. Everyone tried to help me find it on my own, but I just couldn't do it.

"Okay," Luke said, "come over here!" I walked over to him, and he continued. "See those brake lights on that car off in the distance?"

"Yes," I said.

"Take my binoculars and look up very slowly, starting from the brake lights."

I did it, and I eventually found the Comet! At first, I thought I was just looking at three stars that happened to make a triangle until I noticed that the top point of the triangle had a tail.

Challenges tend to arise in life. Sometimes the problems are so overwhelming that you just want to give up. But, you can't give up because if you do, you miss the reward of succeeding! Persevere through all the struggles of life, and you will see amazing things.

Have a Greattastic day and be safe!

J. Mitchie Ulibarri