Comets!
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Comets are rare visitors to our sky that appear as ghostly streaks or dashes across the heavens. Sometimes a comet's tail can extend a long distance from the head of the comet and it gives the appearance of something zooming past. Unlike you see in movies, comets do not zip past. They hang in the sky. To the naked eye they do not appear to move unless observed over a succession of nights or using a telescope. When watched carefully for a series of days a comet will visibly move against the back ground stars.
Comets are best seen and photographed from very dark locations where the night sky is full of stars and the Milky Way shines clearly. The head of a comet will appear as bright as a star. It will appear fuzzy though. And in one direction, the fuzz will continue deeper into the sky than in other directions. The fuzzy offshoot, known as the comet tail, will point away from the Sun. The further away from the head of the comet, the dimmer it will appear.
Because comets are somewhat dim (in most cases) you might want to join a group of observers lead by someone that knows where to look. Astronomy clubs, local planetariums, and observatories are a great place to inquire about such things when you hear a comet is visible in the sky.
Through a telescope, the comet tail is visible against the background stars. Being in a dark site is important to really see any detail. Another thing to look for with a telescope is the shock wave in the front. The light will rapidly diminish and a good telescope at high power will reveal interesting details that a photograph does not capture.
We recommend observing a comet with a good pair of binoculars - 8x50s provide the best view in most cases.