comet visible this week

Ever see a comet before?  You’ll have a chance, this week, to see a bright one, with a long tail  For 3 nights, Tuesday to Thursday, if any of those nights are clear, the waxing crescent moon will help you find it.  Go to a spot where you have a clear view of the western horizon, not later than 45 minutes after sunset.  On Tuesday, it will be close to a tiny sliver crescent moon.  On the next nights, the moon will be bigger and higher and the comet will be below it.  There’s lots of information about comets, in books and on the internet.

Overhead, and slightly to the west, is the constellation Orion, and the big planet, Jupiter.  On Sunday, Jupiter will be big and bright, and close to the moon.