Comet viewing 2018

There are several comets that should be visible with telescopes over the next several weeks. As the comets come in closer one should be visible with binoculars in December – and depending on how it interacts with the inner solar system, might become visible to the naked eye.

This website allows you to select the date you will be viewing the comets and a map of the sky where the comets will be located so you can find them easier.

On December 13, 2018, comet 46P/Wirtanen will reach perihelion, then on December 16, 2018 it is forecast to reach its brightest, at around mag 6.1. It will lie at a distance of 1.05 AU from the Sun, and at a distance of 0.07 AU from the Earth.

From Bozeman, it will be visible in the evening sky, becoming accessible at around 17:57 (MDT) as the dusk sky fades, 29° above your eastern horizon. It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 22:27, 65° above our southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 03:52, when it sinks to 21° above your western horizon.

Visit our resource tab for more information.