THERE was a rare visitor to the skies over Warwickshire at the weekend.
This picture of Comet Neowise was taken by Martin Hanl over houses in Leamington.
The comet was only discovered in March and is currently bright enough to see with the naked eye without the use of binoculars or a telescope.
It is passing Earth at a distance of some 64million miles – around 400 times further away than the Moon – which in passing comet terms is close.
The ball of ice is some five kilometres in diameter and was formed shortly after the birth of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
The glowing tail, made of dust particles which catch the sun’s rays causing the comet to shine, is clear in Martin’s photograph.
Weather permitting, it should be visible for the rest of the month and is expected to be closest to Earth on July 23.
But anyone who misses it only has to wait another 6,800 years for its return.
