Comet Ison

Comet ISON is now two days away from a close encounter with the Sun, an encounter that it very well may not survive. On Thursday ISON will sweep around the Sun, clearing its roiling surface by as little as 800,000 miles. After Thanksgiving, one of three fates will have come to pass.
2013-11-25-cometisondavid1125.jpg As astronomers who have been watching the comet know, however, the past few days -- and the next few days -- will not be the best ones to try to catch the comet.
2013-11-20-cometisondavideichler20.jpg In late November, Comet ISON moves its fastest as it flies from Virgo, through Libra and Scorpius, and then heads north into Ophiuchus.
2013-11-11-Davidjeichlercometison3.jpg Comet ISON (C/2012 S1), the much-anticipated visitor from the distant depths of the solar system, continues to brighten and this week should reach naked-eye visibility as seen from a dark sky, away from city lights.
The next few weeks will undoubtedly give us our best shot at ISON. To see it this week, you'll need to venture out in the early morning, around 4 a.m. local time, and look toward the constellation Leo.