The latest report on the 2013 Comet ISON claims that the "Comet of the Century" may be observable during daylight hours in Australia. The Sydney Observatory suggests that interested sky gazers can view Comet ISON early in the morning before the crack of dawn in late November.

"Dark spots overlooking the ocean could provide suitable viewing spots for Sydneysiders while the western shore of Port Phillip Bay maybe suitable for those in Melbourne," the Sydney Observatory stated on their Web site.

The observatory further added: "Comet ISON, which was discovered by amateur astronomers in Russia and Belarus back in September, will pass just 1.2 million km from the sun on November 29. At that distance the comet may be visible during daylight hours." The observatory also warned the viewers that comets are unpredictable and there is a possibility that Comet ISON may not execute as anticipated.

However, several observers claimed that Comet ISON is currently visible to the naked eye and it has rapidly brightened through an "outburst of activity with just two weeks to go before it literally grazes the surface of the Sun."

The Huff Post Science report reads: "Comet ISON is now in full outburst mode, becoming many times brighter over just the past few days. Astronomers measure the brightness of objects in the night sky as magnitude, in which the brighter an object is, the lower its magnitude number. The human eye can perceive objects as faint as magnitude +6.5."

John Bortle, an expert comet observer, shared that Comet ISON was initially shining at magnitude +8.5 on Monday, November 11, but its brightness increased to +7.3 on Wednesday morning and continued to shine brightly on Thursday morning.

Mr Bortle stated: "Ready to go at 4:45 a.m. but I couldn't figure out what the funny-looking, blotted, star that came into view was. Was my seeing that bad? But, no, the 'blotted star' was, in fact, at the comet's position! Getting to the point, the little but intensely condensed, globular cluster-looking comet was a whopping magnitude 5.4 - two full magnitudes brighter than just 24 hours ago! This makes for a three magnitude total rise since my observation on Monday."

Carl Hergenrother, the acting co-coordinator of the comet section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, verified Mr Bortle's Comet ISON observations. "ISON has dramatically brightened over the past few days. My own observations from this morning in 10x50 and 30x125 binoculars show a nice 'lollipop' comet with a very condensed blue-green head and a long narrow tail. The comet may continue to brighten as the outburst is still in its early stages," Mr Hergenrother shared to SPACE.com through an email sent.

The 2013 Comet ISON is currently over a week away from making its close flyby to the Sun on November 28. Though it is becoming difficult to observe Comet ISON low near the east-southeast horizon in the dawn sky, sky gazers with access to a clear horizon will be able to follow the comet for approximately one more week.

Additionally, Comet ISON will make a close passage to the bright first magnitude star Spica in Virgo on Monday, November 18. To view, use the Big Dipper handle then brush off an arc to the shining orange star Arcturus and continue the arc to Spica. Binoculars will be able to show an enhanced view of the Comet ISON as a "fuzzy star with a short tail."

More Articles to Read:

2013 Comet ISON: 'Comet of the Century' Now Visible in Binoculars? Captured Photo Show Comet ISON's Two Tails - [READ]

2013 Comet ISON: NASA Spots 'Comet of the Century' in Leo Constellation, Comet ISON Brightening Up - [READ]

2013 Comet ISON: Latest Images Show 'Comet of the Century' Growing a New Ion Tail - [READ]

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