Other Solar System Objects Occasionally comets reach naked eye brightness and can be tracked without optical aid. When such a comet appears be sure to watch its tail. Often comet tails exhibit interesting behavior. There are also a few asteroids that reach naked eye brightness, but a dark sky and accurate finder charts would be necessary to observe them. The planet Uranus is also in this catagory.
Some stars vary in brightness.
With a good finder chart, especially one that shows appropriate comparison stars, you can follow the brightness variations of the brighter variables. The American Association of Variable Star Observers might be able to provide you with the necessary information. Most of the naked eye variables are not especially interesting from a scientific point of view, but they are potentially interesting to follow anyway. Algol and Mira are two stars that come to mind right away. One activity where a naked eye observer might be able to contribute to science is in the search for nova.