As of today we still don’t know if Comet ISON will put on a good show or a potentially historic one. Either way we are keen to follow as it brightens. It now comes within range of 8-inch telescopes. By month’s end, you might be able to spot it through a 4-inch scope. ISON is approaching Earth from the morning side, so potential comet-watchers will need to view it about two hours before sunrise. ISON lies low in the east before dawn, just north of the hazy glow of the Beehive star cluster (M44), which lies in the constellation Cancer the Crab. That nearby bright orange “star” is actually the planet Mars. With the nights getting longer and the air so crisp and clear, autumn is a great season for stargazing. Venus meets Saturn after sunset this month in the west. Venus brightness dazzles while Saturn’s magnificent ring system is visible only through telescopes. You can spy the pair low in the southwest during twilight. September's predawn hours feature excellent views of Jupiter and the passage of Mars through the Beehive star cluster (M44).
