HOT COMET: Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) is plunging toward the Sun. It won't hit,
but at closest approach on Jan. 13th it will be much closer to the Sun than the
planet Mercury. The comet will experience fierce heating and it could brighten
considerably, emerging from the encounter brighter than a 1st magnitude star.

For the next few mornings, northerners can see Comet McNaught before it
disappears into the Sun's glare. It's an easy target for binoculars hanging low
in the eastern sky at sunrise. After Jan. 11th, only SOHO (the Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory) will be able to track the comet as it angles toward
the bright Sun. SOHO images are posted in near-real time on the Internet, so
you can watch the comet-sun encounter and see what happens.

Visit http://Spaceweather.com for observing tips and more information.