Comet’s trip past Earth offers first in a trio of opportunities

Comet hunters still have a chance to see comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková in the next few days using binoculars or a telescope. It’s the first of a trio of comets that will—between now and the end of 2018—pass close enough to Earth for backyard observers to try to spot and for scientists to study using ground-based instruments.