Posted on 12/03/2021 6:25:55 PM PST by BenLurkin
Comet Leonard, also known as C/2021, will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 12, according to NASA.
EarthSky describes C/2021 A as “likely to be 2021’s best comet, and its brightest comet by year’s end.”
Leonard is actually already visible in the sky and can be seen the first two weeks of December in the east before the sun rises. NASA says you can spot it by looking between the Big Dipper’s handle and Arcturus, the latter of which is one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
Then, as Leonard makes its closest encounter with our planet, the comet will approach Earth’s horizon — something that will likely make it appear brighter but, unfortunately, more challenging for stargazers to view, according to the space agency.
After making its closest approach on Dec. 12, the comet will be visible in the evening sky — specifically right after sunset — around Dec. 14 or so, NASA reports.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
cool
Related:
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Astronomy Picture of the Day-Comet Leonard and the Whale Galaxy
APOD.NASA.gov|3 Dec, 2021|Image Credit & Copyright: Gregg Ruppel
Posted on 12/3/2021, 6:06:57 PM by MtnClimber
MAXIMUM magnitude of 4; “visible” is a very slippery term.
Once in a lifetime? Those 2 comets in the 90s were quite bright and visible even from cities. Magnitude 4 is on the “meh” scale.
Hayukataki. Hale Bopp. Yep. We were pretty lucky to see those. And that one last year or was it the year before was quite nice. It was overcast and cloudy the while time Haley’s was here but who knows, maybe I’ll get to see it next time.
Halley's Comet was to be my once in a lifetime cosmic event.
Was told to expect it from grades 1-12k.
1986 came and it was a bust.
They told us it must have melted along the way.
http://web.archive.org/web/19980128234400/http://www.datanation.com/space/hale-bopp/index.htm
My old site captured a few pretty cool pics of both those comets. Most people sent me there pictures they took on film through the mail. I scanned and posted them.
Looking back I am glad that the wayback machine still has em.
I wonder, was it named after Leonard Cohen, or Elmore Leonard?
Comets are usually named by the person who saw it first.
I miss seeing those two comets from the 90’s. The first one was so close it appeared to take up a third of the sky. We went to the lake where it was very dark and gazed at it through the binoculars.
I hope this c2021 gives us a good show!
Why do these things almost always take place between 0200 and daylight?
Its friends call it Lennie.
They were spectacular. Our astronomy club hosted special observing nights for people to come out and look at them through our equipment.
Good Times!
The Halley’s Comet I saw wasn’t a bust. It was the 4th brightest comet I’ve seen (and I have seen a number).
The brightest were: West, Hyakutake, Hale Bopp, and then Halley (not necessarily in that order).
Now that’s what Cosby should have been in jail for.
AKA Comet I Am Not Spock
Sugar Ray Leonard?
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