Rob Worobetz got a picture of the Neowise Comet south of Prince Albert on Red Deer Hill. (submitted photo/Rob Worobetz)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Neowise Comet

Prince Albert photographer snaps comet shot

Jul 22, 2020 | 4:30 PM

A local amateur astronomer is happy after he recently snagged a photo of a rare comet sighting.

Rob Worobetz explained he was able to capture a picture of the Neowise comet at a location near Prince Albert.

“[I] went out to Red Deer Hill, which is a great area to view, so that’s just south of Prince Albert,” he said.

Worobetz has been interested in astronomy since he was 10 years old and has been taking pictures for quite some time. His interest has taken him as far south as Wyoming, where he photographed the solar eclipse in 2017.

He said with the modern technology that is available, like digital cameras and star tracking devices he is able to get much better pictures than he would have in the past.

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“Twenty years ago we had Hyakutake, we had Hale-Bopp — really bright comets. But didn’t have the technology then to get a really good photo, so this one is right up there for me as far as the photos I want to take,” he said.

Another part of the photo which Worobetz was including a canola field in the shot, which he said gave the image a real Saskatchewan feel.

“Comet in the sky and Saskatchewan below,” he said.

James Edgar a past president with the Astronomical Society of Canada, who lives in Melville, said the Neowise comet is a unique phenomenon for a few reasons.

“It’s an interesting comet because it’s visible to the naked eye and it’s a spectacular looking photograph,” he said.

Edgar said he is aware of a number of people who have been heading out to try to get pictures and see the comet. He added seeing a comet like Neowise is rare. Edgar recalled the last one like it was seen around 25 years ago.

“If people are interested in seeing it they have another week or so to get out under a clear sky, to [the] northwest of the Big Dipper, it’s moving westward,” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn