While Comet Atlas breaks up as it journeys toward the sun Sky and Telescope reports a new and spectacular comet now graces our evening sky.  As Sky & Tel notes, Comet SWAN was observed on March 25th by Australian amateur Michael Mattiazzo as the comet "brightened by leaps and bounds....As of May 5th, the newcomer had climbed to magnitude 5.2 with a 1° visual tail that lengthens to a luxurious 6–8° in photographs."

With binoculars scan the eastern skies just before dawn and close to the horizon.  You may be able to see Comet SWAN for yourself.  Astronomer Con Stoitsis says "It should be an 'obvious' naked eye target in mid-May."  But the comet is fast moving. It makes its closest approach to the earth on May 13 and reaches perihelion (closest approach to the sun) on May 27.  You can check the current coordinates and status of Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) at https://theskylive.com/

The photo is a planetarium representation of the morning sky just before dawn on May 10th from Washington D.C. at latitude 39 N.