Skywatchers in the northern hemisphere should look for the comet near the Big Dipper around 9 p.m. local time approximately 30 degrees above the northern horizon. Although the comet will appear to be stationary when viewed for a short time, it is actually moving 8 degrees per day with respect to background stars. The comet will move past the Big Dipper in just a few days. In August the fading comet will be a good target for southern telescopes for a few hours after sunset. Even if the comet eventually reaches 4th magnitude, it will be invisible in light polluted urban areas.
Dark skies are essential.
It will remain a good target for binoculars and small telescopes well into September. On August 20th, telescopic observers in the southern hemisphere will be treated to a rare sight when the 7th magnitude comet passes almost directly in front of the Sombrero galaxy M104. Although the Oort Cloud is speculative, many astronomers believe that it exists and is populated with icy relics from the formation of the solar system more than 4 billion years ago. Occasionally a galactic gravitational perturbation tweaks the orbits of the Oort comets and sends some of them plunging toward the Sun. After it passes by the Sun later this month it may not return for millions of years, if ever.