Morning skies host new green comet

• The comet was discovered last month by amateur astronomers using publicly available images from the SWAN (Solar Wind Anisotropies) camera system aboard NASA's SOHO spacecraft, which monitors solar activity.

Zoom in: To find it, look near Alpheratz, the brightest star in the Great Square of Pegasus.

• The comet is heading toward Andromeda and will pass near Alpheratz around April 13, according to EarthSky.

Context: It glows green thanks to sunlight reacting with carbon molecules in its coma, a common feature of comets making their way toward the sun, per Sky & Telescope.

What's next: It's getting brighter daily and might become visible to the naked eye in early May — if it survives its close encounter with the sun on May 1.

• By then, it could shift to sunset viewing, per EarthSky, making for a spectacular sight if skies cooperate.

Best bet: Clear morning, binoculars and a hilltop or park with an unobstructed eastern view.