Comet Leonard will pass by the Earth and can be seen on December 12

• Comet Leonard will be seen for the first time in 80 thousand years.
• This phenomenon can be observed from Earth on December 12.
• «Leonard was discovered as a faint smudge in January 2021».

Comet Leonard will pass by Earth this month. If you don’t think seeing a comet pass so close to Earth is one of the most spectacular phenomena that a human being can see during their lifetime, you may be about to change your mind. This year you can admire the beauty of a celestial body in space as it passes quite close to our planet and everyone will be able to see it.

During this month, a unique cosmic event will illuminate the sky and it’s something that will never happen again in our lifetimes. The comet called ‘Leonard’, which is essentially a giant ice ball, will be passing in front of the Earth. It takes approximately 80 thousand years to go around the sun, according to Infobae.

Comet Leonard will pass close to Earth

The comet will be visible on December 12. It will not pass near our planet again for 80,000 years. It is worth mentioning that this celestial body was discovered on January 3, 2021, by astronomer Gregory J. Leonard, when he saw something strange in his telescope at the Mount Lemmon Observatory at the University of Arizona.

After observing something strange in space and after several days analyzing it, experts finally figured out that it was a comet that was heading towards the sun. They immediately named it after the astronomer who first saw it through his telescope. It’s called C/2021 A1 or Leonard.

Comet Leonard passes by Earth: «It was discovered as a faint smudge in January 2021»

NASA also commented on this event: “Leonard was discovered as a faint smudge in January 2021, when it was beyond Mars. But its orbit will take it close to Earth and Venus in December, before it approaches the Sun in early January 2022.”

“It is difficult to predict when and how bright a comet will appear, because we don’t know how much dust and gas it will emit. This can vary from day to day, and it is what controls the amount of sunlight that is scattered and reflected back towards us,» NASA added in a statement on its website.

Comet Leonard passes by Earth: «This comet will pass at a shorter distance from Earth on December 12»

Several people have been eager to see this comet, since they state that on December 12 it will be possible to see it with the naked eye, only by looking up at the sky. It has even been said that, as of November 30, it can be seen without a telescope or any other instrument.

But it will be on December 12 when Leonard reaches its closest point to the planet and also reaches its maximum brightness. This will make it possible to see without any equipment. «This comet will pass at a shorter distance from Earth on December 12, 2021, at 08:54 am,» NASA said.

Comet Leonard passes close to Earth every 80,000 years

«Depending on the dust and gas, the maximum modeled brightness is expected to be around December 13 or 14, 2021, approximately 1 or 2 days after passing its closest point to Earth,» explained the space agency, although they stated that it’s difficult to make an exact prediction.

The last time the comet passed near Earth was 80,000 years ago, and since that time it has been circling the universe. Now, it’s about to come back, in what will be the first and only time that people who are alive today will be able to see it.

How will it look in Mexico?

People in Mexico will be able to enjoy this unique event. It is suggested that the best time to see the comet will be around 5 AM before the sun rises. Apparently, there will be no need to use any instruments to see it, but experts do recommend observing it with binoculars to better admire its beauty.

According to expert Joel Castro, from the Institute of Astronomy of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the best viewing will be during the first half of December. To observe it with the naked eye, it will be necessary to look for places with dark skies, away from the light pollution of large cities, and with a clear horizon. Otherwise, the comet will be harder to see, according to Infobae.

The largest comet in history

It was mentioned earlier that a heavenly body that has been classified as the largest comet in history, almost 12 times the size of Mount Everest, is approaching Earth and it is providing astronomers with invaluable information about the solar system, The Sun reported on Monday, October 11.

The largest comet in history, named Bernardinelli-Bernstein, was first detected seven years ago and is believed to be up to 100 miles wide, nearly 12 times the size of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the surface of our planet which is 8848 meters above sea level Filed under: Comet Leonard near Earth

The Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet is like a «time machine»

According to The Sun, the impressive comet was detected by Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein, astronomers from the University of Pennsylvania who gave it its name. Last month, the two published an article in which they described everything they know about the object, based on seven years of data collection and a series of sightings over the summer.

The researchers described the comet as a «time machine» containing unprecedented information about how the solar system was born and evolved. «The story that the comet tells us is about what existed in the solar system billions of years ago,» Pedro Bernardinelli told The Daily Beast. Filed Under: Comet Leonard Near Earth

It is 12 times the size of Everest

«We can use that to understand the things that we see today in other parts of the solar system,» he added. And what makes this comet unique is that its chemistry has not changed substantially since its formation due to its size and distance from the sun, the report explained.

“It is pristine. Not much has happened to this object since its formation in the early days of the solar system. We can think of it as a window to the past,» said researcher Pedro Bernardinelli. Filed Under: Comet Leonard Near Earth

The year in which it will enter our solar system is estimated

Bernardinelli and Bernstein shared their findings in an article posted in the astrophysical journal, Letters, on September 23, calling it, «the nearly spherical cow of comets.» So far the comet is believed to be about 100 miles wide, making it the largest in history ever witnessed by a human and about 1,000 times larger than average.

Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is expected to reach our inner solar system in the year 2031, when it will oscillate between Uranus and Saturn. It is so large that there was a time when it was mistaken for a dwarf planet, before scientists detected its glowing tail. Filed Under: Comet Leonard Near Earth

The giant comet will pass close by Earth

Although the largest comet in history is expected to reach the inner solar system within a decade, astronomers say it poses no threat to Earth. It is currently 29 astronomical units from us, which is about 29 times the distance between our planet and the Sun.

When it gets closer, sometime in 2031, it will take a telescope to see it. And for space buffs wishing to see a comet sooner, there is another one expected to pass Earth this Christmas: Leonard comet, which will be visible on December 12. Filed Under: Comet Leonard Near Earth

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