Science/Medicine : Comet Pays First Visit

The brightest comet since Halley will be visible--but barely--in the southwestern sky during the early evening hours through March.

Comet Bradfield is on its first visit to the inner solar system.

It has been given a 5.5 magnitude, making it just a little too dim to be seen with the naked eye. But a good set of binoculars should do the job, although finding it will not be easy.

The comet, appearing as little more than a dim fuzzy ball, will be about midway between the horizon and the zenith, which is directly overhead. It will be slightly below and to the right of the star Altair in a cluster of stars called the Summer Triangle.

“This is a brand new comet that has never been seen before and is not likely to be seen again,� astronomer Richard Pogge of University of California, Santa Cruz, said.

The comet, first observed on Aug. 11, was discovered by Australian amateur astronomer William Bradfield. It was his 13th discovery, a record for any individual this century.