Comet McNaught brightest in decades

Sky and Telescope ^ | 1/8/07 | Tony Flanders

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Comet McNaught (2006 P1) has brightened rapidly in the last few days. It's now bright, beautiful, and easy to see at dawn and dusk — as long as you're fairly far north, know exactly where to look, and have an unobstructed horizon and perfect conditions.

For most observers in the United States, the comet is quite close to the horizon at twilight, where even the slightest wisp of cloud can hide it. The geometry is more favorable for observers in northern Europe and Canada, who report Comet McNaught as an easy naked-eye object. In the Southern Hemisphere the comet is below the horizon all night long, but this did not prevent Terry Lovejoy from locating and imaging it during broad daylight on January 7th. Sky & Telescope senior editor Dennis di Cicco also sighted the comet visually during the daytime, through a 5-inch refractor on a Go To mount.

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Sky and Telescope image:

NASA image:

[Ptarmigan]

I want to see that comet. I remember Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake. They were bright.

[NormsRevenge]

There she goes... : The McNaught comet is seen early morning from Pucon, Calafquen Lake sector, Chile. (AFP/David Lillo)

[NormsRevenge]

a couple more photos at
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/gallery/1750