An Easy to view Comet for the North Hemisphere
C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) using binoculars or a small
telescope!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2014_Q2_%28Lovejoy%29

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C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)
Discovery

Discovered by	Terry Lovejoy 0.2-m Schmidt (Q80)^[1]
Discovery date	17 August 2014
Orbital characteristics ^A
Epoch	18 January 2015^[2]
Perihelion	1.29077 AU (q)^[2]
Eccentricity	0.99811^[2]
Orbital period	~11500 years inbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 1950)^[3] ~8000 years outbound (Barycentric solution for epoch 2050)^[3]
Inclination	80.301°^[2]
Next perihelion	30 January 2015^[2]

C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) is a long-period comet discovered on 17 August 2014 by Terry Lovejoy using a 0.2-meter (8 in) Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope.^[1] It was discovered at apparent magnitude 15 in the southern constellation of Puppis.^[1] It is the fifth comet discovered by Terry Lovejoy.
By December 2014 the comet had brightened to roughly magnitude 7.4,^[4] making it a small telescope and binoculars target. By mid-December the comet was visible to the naked eye for experienced observers with dark skies and keen eyesight.^[5] On 28−29 December 2014, the comet passed 1/3° from globular cluster Messier 79.^[6] In January 2015 it will brighten to roughly magnitude 4−5,^[7] and will be one of the brightest comets located high in a dark sky in years. On 7 January 2015 the comet will pass 0.469 AU (70,200,000 km; 43,600,000 mi) from Earth.^[8] It crosses the celestial equator on 9 January 2015 becoming better seen from the northern hemisphere.^[9] The comet will come to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 30 January 2015 at a distance of 1.29 AU from the Sun.^[2]
Before entering the planetary region (epoch 1950), C/2014 Q2 had an orbital period of about 11500 years.^[3] After leaving the planetary region (epoch 2050), it will have an orbital period of about 8000 years.^[3]