Naked-eye comets are far from uncommon. As a rough average, one
appears every 18 months or thereabouts, and it is not very unusual
to see more than two in a single year. The record so far seems to
have been 2004, with a total of five comets visible without optical
aid. But 2006, 1970, and 1911 were not far behind with a total of
four apiece. Yet, the majority of these pass unnoticed by the
general public. Most simply look like fuzzy stars with tails that
are either faint or below the naked-eye threshold. The 'classical'
comet - a bright star-like object with a long flowing tail - is a
sight that graces our skies about once per decade, on average.
These 'great comets' are surely among the most beautiful objects
that we can see in the heavens, and it is no wonder that they
created such fear in earlier times. Just what makes a comet
''great'' is not easy to define. It is neither just about
brightness nor only a matter of size. Some comets can sport
prodigiously long tails and yet not be regarded as great. Others
can become very bright, but hardly anyone other than a handful of
enthusiastic astronomers will ever see them. Much depends on their
separation from the Sun, the intensity of the tail, and so forth.
General
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