COSMIC EVENT

With thanks for George Atchley of Samford's Christenberry Planetarium:

"A new moon on June 12 will help observing the first visit of comet McNaught (C/2009 R1) to the inner solar system, complete with a 100-million-mile “close encounter” with Earth. Search the northeastern sky before sunrise (use binoculars if possible) for a diffuse circular patch of light gliding through the constellation Perseus. A small telescope will reveal a comet with a green head and a long, wispy tail pointing north. Although currently at the threshold of naked eye visibility, by the end of the month McNaught could brighten to about the same magnitude as the stars of the Big Dipper, but this weekend offers great viewing because of its darkness. "