• Stargazers are in for a treat this weekend with Comet Lovejoy set to make its closest approach to Earth, which will provide sights not to be seen again for 8,000 years!
• Comet Lovejoy is about 70 million kilometres from the Earth, which is approximately half the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
• The comet (officially called C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy) is named after Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy, who discovered it in August 2014 while taking images from his backyard with an 8-inch telescope.
• Terry says that even people without a telescope can spot the comet, and should use the constellation Orion as a reference point – looking at it as if it were a hunter, and focusing to the left of its ‘knee’.
• Those looking for Lovejoy should look out for a softly glowing bluish green ball
• Astronomers say people should avoid having a cigarette while looking for the comet, as smoking affects blood supply to the optic nerve and reduces night vision.
• Like other comets, Lovejoy is a chunk of ice and dust orbiting the sun.

Read more:

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/astronomy/comet-set-to-share-the-love-this-weekend-20150109-12ku0o.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11336388/Ditch-the-cigarettes-to-see-comet-Lovejoy-says-astronomer.html

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/cosmic-belch-comet-lovejoy-gives-birth-space-blob-n283171

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