Outburst lights up Comet ISON; it's now visible to naked eye
Get ready for a stellar show. The much-anticipated Comet ISON is now visible to the naked eye, according to reports from many observers.
Comet ISON — the potential "comet of the century" — has suddenly brightened in an outburst of activity, with just two weeks to go before it literally grazes the surface of the sun.
In recent months, Comet ISON has repeatedly befuddled forecasters trying to anticipate just how bright it will ultimately become. Earlier this week, the comet's brightening trend again seemed to be sputtering and stalling, but more recent observations suggest a sudden and radical upsurge in brightness.
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"Ready to go at 4:45 a.m. but I couldn't figure out what the funny-looking, blotted, star that came into view was," Bortle said. "
Was my) seeing that bad? But, no, the 'blotted star' was, in fact, at the comet's position! Getting to the point, the little but intensely condensed, globular cluster-looking comet was a whopping magnitude 5.4 — two full magnitudes brighter than just 24 hours ago! This makes for a three-magnitude total rise since my observation on Monday."
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/outburst-lights-comet-ison-its-now-visible-naked-eye-2D11591258
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