The cosmic ball of ice and dust is about to make its closest approach to our planet.
A newly discovered comet will make its closest approach to our planet on Wednesday.Photographs captured by astronomers show a distinct green hue around the body of the comet.
But those expecting a brilliant streak of emerald in the sky will be disappointed. Its brightness is right at the threshold of what is visible to the naked eye. "You might have seen these reports saying we're going to get this bright green object lighting up the sky," says Dr Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society.However, away from light pollution and below dark skies, you might be able to see a smudge in the sky - if you know what you're looking for.
Would-be stargazers have a better chance of spotting it using binoculars, in which it will appear as a faint white blur.Comets are mostly composed of ice and dust. As they approach the Sun, the ice is vaporised and the dust shaken off to create the signature long tail. "If you're lucky, you'll see a hint of the tail coming off it, so it'll look more like a classic comet," says Massey.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Take a look around Belfast's newly revamped event spaceThe listed bank building was previously the home of a Tesco Metro store after the supermarket took a 25-year lease in 1995
Read more »
The Story Behind a Once-in-a-Lifetime Green Comet That's About to Fly Past EarthA comet soaring over the northern hemisphere this week was last seen 50,000 years ago, when woolly mammoths roamed the earth
Read more »
Guenther Steiner says Las Vegas Grand Prix will be 'biggest show on Earth, ever'Haas boss Guenther Steiner has backed the Las Vegas Grand Prix to become a landmark showpiece as it joins the Formula 1 calendar.
Read more »