Dopo aver dato spettacolo nei cieli australi, la cometa C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy si sta "arrampicando" nei cieli dell'emisfero nord in perfetta sincronia per Natale. Si può tentare di osservarla a partire dalla mezzanotte del 24 dicembre, puntando un binocolo o un piccolo telescopio in direzione sud, ai piedi di Orione.
La cometa comincerà ad alzarsi nel cielo intorno all'Epifania, tra il 5 e il 7 gennaio, ma in quei giorni ci sarà la Luna piena che "disturberà" l'osservazione.
Il momento ideale per godersi lo spettacolo è previsto a metà gennaio quando la cometa sarà ben alta sull'orizzonte nella costellazione della Lepre, ma non è detto che in quel periodo sarà attiva come adesso.
Scoperta il 17 agosto del 2014 dall'astrofilo australiano Terry Lovejoy da cui prende il nome, la cometa il 7 gennaio sarà alla sua minima distanza dalla Terra, 70 milioni di chilometri.
M.Ang./ATS
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