There is currently a comet passing by at a tremendous speed. It is Comet Lemmon, and can be seen with binoculars on a dark night such as during this week when there is no moon, with a good pair of binoculars. It isn't spectacular like Comet McNaught as it is still far away, but look for a fuzzy pale green blob without a tail between Musca (right of the Southern Cross) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (it is heading towards the globular cluster 47 Tucanae). You may find it interesting to observe its path each night, as it is moving very fast. It is currently on its way towards the sun and will swing round the back of it and be flung back on its return trip past us in April, when it will hopefully be a more breathtaking sight.
The best time for spotting is about 2am when it is overhead. At the same time you will be able to admire the magnificent constellation of Orion with its Great Nebula forming the sword, and the giant planet, Jupiter, the fourth brightest object in the sky, to the left in Taurus, with its four moons constantly changing position as they orbit the planet. Sirius, the Dog Star which is the brightest object, lies to the right of Orion.
There is a particularly rich star field to the right of the Southern Cross, in the constellation of Carina, and you can observe stunning clusters and the Eta Carina nebula with binoculars.
So set your alarm and go outside to see the wonders of the night sky. But remember not to turn on any lights as it will ruin your night vision for half an hour. Make sure you know the way to the door!
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