Ok so it is not really new, the discovery was in August but it has brightened to what they are calling the brightest comet in 30 years. Now it is so close to the sun that the SOHO (Solar & Heliospheric Observatory) can now see it and you can too at: Sorry the comet has left the screen. Folks in the southern hemisphere will still get a good look as the comet is now heading south of the plane of the ecliptic. The path can be seen at:http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?sstr=C%2F2006+P1 and pix can be seen at:http://spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught_page12.htm
If you have a lot of time you can see it again in about 100,000 years when it returns.
quote from the the man who discovered it:
“… The comet’s orbit has modified in it’s passage thru the inner solar system. This was probably it’s first trip in but it has had it’s orbit diminished and will be back again in perhaps 100,000 years. Thus it is similar to the large number of Oort cloud comets.
Glad you enjoyed the comet. It’s all down to it and the sun, much as I’d like to take credit 😉
Cheers, Rob”
Just thought it would be something interesting and different, enjoy.
edit for motion of the comet
