Comet Leonard to visit Earth after 70,000 years

Skywatchers across the globe have been gearing up to witness Comet Leonard, the brightest comet of 2021 in December which will come by after a span of 70,000 years.

Comet Leonard is expected to come closest to Earth on December 12, being 34.4 million kilometres away.

At the beginning of 2021, researcher Greg Leonard discovered Comet C/2021 A1, also known as, Comet Leonard from Arizona’s Mount Lemmon Observatory.

This is exactly a year before its perihelion passage — its closest approach to the Sun — on January 3, 2022.

At its perihelion, comet Leonard will be around 92.7 million kilometres from the Sun, reports British daily Metro.

Comet Leonard was discovered as a tiny smudge of light near Jupiter.

At the time of the discovery, the comet was heading in Earth’s direction from deep space with the potential to be the brightest comet of the year. 

When to look for Comet Leonard?

The comet will be seen in the east before sunrise, passing between Arcturus and the handle of the Big Dipper, reports India Today.

It will approach the horizon right around the time of its closest approach to Earth and be brighter but more challenging to observe.

Nasa said that it will switch over to being an evening object after around December 14 for just a little while after the Sun sets as it begins its long haul outward from the Sun again.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Leonard up close. It’s thought to have travelled about 35,000 years from deep space to come this far.