1/16/15 6:37 PM

I finally got a clear night and got to spot the comet Lovejoy C/2014 Q2. It looks like a fuzzy green fried egg right now. Even with my 8 inch telescope I don't see a tail. I deal with light pollution.

Look toward the seven sisters and go west about one fist width. With binoculars most folks should be able to spot it and if you have dark skies it should be naked eye visible.

1/16/15 8:49 PM

I looked in Stellarium, had to add C/2013 R1, but seems like it only breaks the horizon during the day here. I only went a few days, maybe need to look more forward...

1/16/15 9:38 PM

Stellarium may not have it loaded. If I can see it you can too. It is visible all night without a tail because the tail points away from the sun and it is almost overhead right now (where it is in it's orbit). My "Go Sky Watch" app on my iPad has it loaded correctly but that app is updated all the time.

Lovejoy has discovered quite a few comets so don't search using his name, use the ID numbers.

The one you listed was found in 2013 and is not visible. I think it was a grazer and came apart last year as it went around the sun.

Comet orbits are much like planet orbits so all of us see them in the sky pretty much the same (northern hemisphere of course, Tim and Nick see the sky very different than us but still see the planets, in the northern sky though)

1/16/15 10:31 PM

"Stellarium may not have it loaded"

It did not until I added it in...