Stargazers Have A Chance To See Comet Leonard

Backyard astronomers have an opportunity to see Comet Leonard when it makes its closest approach to Earth on December 12. At that time, it will be 21 million miles from the planet. It will pass Venus on December 18 and will be visible in the skies of the northern and southern hemispheres this month.

Anyone wanting to get a look at a comet should go out and take a gander because Comet Leonard won’t pass through our solar system ever again. Astronomers say it’s difficult to say how well we will be able to see the comet, but they believe you’ll probably need binoculars to see it.

Anyone looking at the sky with the naked eye will want to look out for something that appears to be a fuzzy star. During the first couple weeks of December, Comet Leonard will be found in the east before sunrise, passing between the constellation Arcturus and the handle of the Big Dipper.

It will approach the horizon around the time of its closest approach to the planet, making it more bright but harder to observe around December 14. It will be an evening object viewable just a little bit before the sun sets and will get progressively fainter after that.