Don’t Miss the Two Comets Passing By Earth This Week
Two comets will be visiting our neck of the solar system this week. One of them will be the closest comet to pass Earth since 1983.
When it comes to the night sky, there is nothing more exciting than a shooting star, meteor shower, or eclipse. There's something magical about seeing the universe beyond our planet in action.
Well, we are in for a treat this week. Not one, but two comets will be flying by Earth. Scientists believe that one of the comets will be bright enough to be seen by the naked eye. The other comet will pass by so closely that it will be recorded as the third closest flyby in history. (Although NASA made it very clear that despite it being labeled as "close," the earth is not in any danger of being hit.)
The larger of the comets was at its closest point to Earth this morning at 10:14. Unfortunately, those of us in Amarillo probably wouldn't have seen it anyway. Scientists said that the comet would probably only be visible at its closest point in the Southern Hemisphere.
The good news is that this comet has a chance of staying bright for several weeks. If that happens, we might be able to see it after it has reached its closest point.
The smaller comet, which will be closer to Earth, won't be visible without a telescope.
However, the Virtual Telescope Project will be broadcasting the comets live today and tomorrow. So while it might not be as powerful as seeing it above you, you'll be able to see it with much more powerful technology. You can watch that here.
Check the times for those live broadcasts here.