A Comet To Watch

Anonymous Coward writes "Ever since comet Hale-Bopp I have been waiting for a new, bright(as in visible to the naked eye), comet. It seems that my wait may have come to an end. Recently discovered comet C/2002 X5 can currently be seen by northern sky watchers through a telescope. It is predicted that it will brighten considerably (magnitude -3) in late January. Let's hope it lives up to expectations. Spaceweather.com has the whole story."

Comments

Really bright... but really close to the sun

[ceoyoyo]

Magnitude -3 is pretty bright but not for an object closer to the magnitude -27 (or so) sun than Mercury. Mercury is already a challenge to observe because it can only be seen near the horizon just before sunrise or after sunset.

I won't hold my breath for a Hale-Bopp competitor but it should be a good target for people with small telescopes or binoculars. Of course, comets are notoriously unpredictable....

Hale Bopp vs. others

[ObviousGuy]

IANAAP, so I'm unqualified to offer unqualified blanket statements, but the likes of Hale Bopp will not be seen again during our lifetimes.

That thing was not only visible with the naked eye, it was spectacular. The tail was clearly visible as a long spray of light, even without telescopes or binoculars.

It was what a comet ought to be. Large against the sky, with streaming tail and glowing nucleus, and big enough that all these details can be made out with the naked eye.

I saw Halley's comet last time it came through and I was very disappointed. It was too small, too far away, and too dim to make it out even with binoculars.

If this next comet can rival Hale Bopp in its show, it will certainly be a treat.

Another article

[Liquor]

Sky and Telescope also has an article on the comet.

This article also points out the unfortunate fact that when the comet is at it's brightest, it will be directly on the opposite side of the sun, and impossible to observe from the Earth.