Get ready for a celestial treat as Comet 144P/Kushida graces the night sky in January, offering stargazers a new year chance to find this comet in dark skies.
Comet 144P/Kushida, a periodic comet with an orbital period of about 7.36 years, was first discovered by Yoshio Kushida in 1994. It belongs to the Jupiter family of comets, indicating its origin in the outer solar system. As it makes its way through the solar system, it periodically becomes visible from Earth, occasionally producing a display bright enough to be seen in binoculars.
The comet started January close to Uranus as seen in the sky and is tracking towards a rendezvous with the Hyades in February. Expected to peak around ninth magnitude, the comet will best be seen before the full Moon that is due on 25 January – when the comet reaches perihelion – and at the end of the month as the Moon wanes.
While Comet 144P/Kushida will not be visible to the naked eye, good binoculars or a telescope will provide a closer look at its structure and possible tail. Imaging the comet will show its pale green colour and perhaps some sign of a faint tail. Choose a dark location away from city lights for optimal visibility and consider bringing a star chart or a mobile app to help identify the comet against the sky background.