CCD image of Comet LINEAR taken by Carroll DeVault and Jim Thorpe on July 2, 2000,  using C14 at Mt. Wilson on a Paramount Mount. Posted to Astro-Officers eGroup by Tony Obra.

It's been a while since we've had a good naked eye comet. The last one was Comet Hale-Bopp in the late 90's, then Comet Hyakutake before that.

But at the end of July this year, and into August, it looks like we will once again have a good comet-viewing opportunity: Comet C/1999 S4 LINEAR

Comet LINEAR got its name from the fact that it was originally discovered by the meteor hunting LINEAR satellite, the Lincoln Laboratory Near Earth Asteroid Research satellite, which had already discovered other faint comets. 

While Comet LINEAR will not be as bright as its recent predecessors, Comet Hale-Bopp and Comet Hyakutake, it should be easy to observe and in plain view at the end of July and early August. Towards the end of August, it will have moved on into Virgo, and will become more difficult to observe as it disappears into the early evening twilight. But Southern Hemisphere observers have a treat in store, as Comet LINEAR passes right by M104 the Sombrero Galaxy in Virgo on August 20.

During the early part of July, Comet LINEAR was an early morning object moving through the constellations of Triangulum and Andromeda. At the time it reaches maximum brightness on July 23, just three days before perihelion, it will be an early evening object in the southern part of Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper.

Yes, Comet LINEAR will be a faint naked eye comet, but a pair of  binoculars or a telescope are sure to reveal some interesting details.

Don't miss out on the chance to observe Comet LINEAR, because we never know how long it may be until the next comet passes by. It could be months, or even years!