New comet visible throughout January

A new comet is now visible in the night sky and should continue to be seen through the end of this month, but only if weather allows.

Comet Lovejoy is currently found just below and to the right of the star Rigel, at the foot of the hunter Orion in the southeast sky early in the evening. Orion moves over the southern horizon as night progresses.

Photographs of the comet, discovered last year by Australian comet searcher Terry Lovejoy, can be seen online. The comet appears as a greenish smudge with a faint tail.

Sky & Telescope online said the deep-space visitor is a “very long period comet,” and estimates it last came through the inner solar system 11,500 years ago.

It will continue to ascend northward and higher into the sky each night, passing between the constellations Taurus and Aries later this month.

Also in the January night sky, Venus and Mercury are within a few degrees of each other in the late twilight above the southwest horizon. The two will be only 0.6 degrees apart on Jan. 10.

A new moon on Jan. 21 will pass next to Venus and then Mars on Jan. 22.