For backyard stargazers, the next few nights are the best time to see green Comet 103P/Hartley 2 as it approaches Earth for an 11-million-mile close encounter on Oct. 20th.
The dark hours before dawn are the best so set your alarm clock, go outside, and look straight up. Comet Hartley 2 is not far from the bright star Capella in Auriga. Although the comet is barely visible to the unaided eye, it is easy to locate using binoculars and looks great through a backyard telescope.
NASA scientists say 103P/Hartley 2 is one of the most active comets they’ve seen; it has a big atmosphere and copious outgassing from jets in the nucleus.
Sky maps and more information may be found at http://spaceweather.com
Need a telescope to see the comet?
Filed under: Comets
