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Italian photographer Rolando Ligustri took this picture on Dec. 15th.

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CHRISTMAS COMET: Is there a cylindrical object under your Christmas tree? Open it now. A small telescope is all you need to see Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2). Discovered just a few months ago by Terry Lovejoy in Australia, the green comet is brightening to naked-eye visibility as it moves into northern skies this holiday season. "it's amazing how this comet is developing and increasing in brightness," says Ligustri. Indeed, it is brightening faster than experts predicted. Originally the comet was supposed to reach naked-eye visibility in January or February 2015. It may be crossing that threshold now. Reports from the southern hemisphere put the brightness of the comet at magnitude +6.0, similar to the dimmest stars the human eye can see.

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On the nights around Christmas, "Comet Q2," as some are calling it, will glide just south of Sirius, the Dog Star.

Finder chart for Comet Lovejoy, C/2014 Q2, during December 2014. The dates are in Universal Time; the ticks are at 0:00 UT (7 p.m. on the previous date Eastern Standard Time).

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Finder chart for Comet Lovejoy, C/2014 Q2, during January 2015. The dates are in Universal Time; the ticks are at 0:00 UT (7 p.m. on the previous date Eastern Standard Time).

Quelle: Spaceweather

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Quelle: astroinfo