Comet Machholz

There's a comet in the sky that is brightening, and will continue to do so through January. Currently located near the feet of Orion, it is a Magnitude 5 object, just visible to the naked eye. At its brightest, it's expected to be around a Magnitude 4 object.

http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/machholz/11dec04/Westlake2.jpg

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2004/13dec04/skymap_north.gif

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2004Q2_1.html

Comets are amazing sights to see. I missed Halley's back in '86, but I sure took in Hale-Bopp in '97. Machholz is not going to be nearly as spectacular, but it will be worth looking for in January to say the least, if only to say that you were able to pick it out of the sea of background stars.