A comet flies across the Earth in the vastness of space

It will remain a unique sight: Comet “C / 2021 A 1 Leonard » flies across Earth next weekend and could become visible in the morning sky. closest distance to it The Union of Friends of the Stars announced that he will be arriving Sunday morning. However, it is still within a “respectable distance” of 34 million km.

if weather And Sunday dawn can play along between six and seven in the morning on the eastern horizon Eye to be clear.

“This tail star won’t provide a bright spectacle,” says Sternfreund. But it should be easy to spot with binoculars or a telescope.

“This visit to Comet Leonard is not a bright celestial event, but it will be the only one for us,” said astronomer friends. After revolving around the sun in a wide arc, the celestial body will disappear in the vastness of space and will never return to the solar system. « C / 2021 A 1 Leonard “The first comet discovered this year was on January 3rd. Seen by Gregory J. Leonard at Mount Lemon Observatory in Arizona, USA.

Comets are billions of years old, and have arisen since the early days of our solar system. It is made up of a mixture of ice, dust and rocks. When a comet approaches the Sun, its core, which is only a few kilometers in size, begins to evaporate and form a dense cloud of dust and gas. The comet’s tail appears later.