Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) 1/11/2007
This is a image of comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) taken 1/11/2007 just after sun set.

Robert McNaught, a professional astronomer near Coonabarabran NSW reported his discovery of a new comet on Aug 7, 2006. This was Robert’s 31st find. The magnitude 17 comet was then situated 3 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. This distance rapidly reduces to 0.17AU from the Sun on January 12, 2007 where the comet is at perihelion, lying within the orbit of Mercury, and appearing at its brightest.
C/2006 P1 has been within 30 degrees of the Sun since early November 2006 but was still followed by amateur observers equipped with CCD cameras. By early January 2007, visual observations from the northern hemisphere were reported as the comet rapidly brightened in the twilight sky. The comet arrives in the field of view of the orbiting SOHO C3 coronagraph on January 12. The C3 coronagraph has a 16-degree field of view with the Sun located in the centre. It can therefore observe comets that are within 8 degrees elongation from the Sun. During this time, you may be able to download real-time images from the Internet at: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/realtime_query On Jan 12 at 10:00 UT the comet appears at 11 o'clock position. On Jan 14 at 15:55 UT, the comet is 40' East of Mercury (magnitude -1 for comparison). On Jan 15 at 16:00 UT, the comet disappears at 7 o'clock position. On Jan 15, the comet is closest to the earth at a distance of 0.82AU but it is still only 7 degrees away from the Sun. It may rival Venus in brightness just after Sunset. By the evening of January 18, the comet has moved sufficiently away from the Sun (15 degrees elongation) and appears very low in the western evening sky after sunset in the constellation of Microscopium. It could appear as bright as magnitude 0. The comet fades rapidly after this but its elongation from the Sun increases as it heads further southward. On January 24, the comet moves into Indus but is still only 27 degrees away from the Sun and a mere 5 degrees above the horizon at the end of astronomical twilight from 35S latitude. The furter south you are the better. It may then have faded to magnitude 3. Unfortunately, moonlight begins to interfere with dark sky viewing until after the full moon of Feb 2. Comet McNaught is a first time visitor to the inner solar system and may not survive its brush with the Sun. Telescope users should keep an eye out for fragmentation of the nucleus! The comet will not return.I would also encourage the use of a pair of 7x50 mm binoculars to view the tail.