What is identified as the single greatest enemy when attempting to view faint comets?
Answer
Light pollution
When aiming to observe celestial objects that are predicted to be faint, such as many comets that only reach magnitudes 7 or 8, environmental conditions play a critical role in visibility. The most detrimental factor affecting the ability of the human eye and optical instruments to detect dim light sources is light pollution. This refers to excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light emanating from urban areas. To maximize the chances of viewing comets that are not spectacular 'great comets,' observers must specifically travel to locations geographically distant from major city lights to ensure a sufficiently dark sky background.
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