On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…a glorious comet! That’s right, if you happened to miss Comet NEOWISE during the summer of 2020, Comet C/2021 A1—nicknamed Leonard—is shaping up to be a wonderful follow-up. The much-anticipated comet, which traveled an estimated 35,000 years from outside the solar system, will make its closest flyby of Earth (from a very comfortable 21 million miles away) on Dec. 12. In the days leading up to this event, the comet is expected to brighten—becoming visible with binoculars and possibly even the naked eye.
To see Leonard, which is traveling at an exceptionally-fast 158,084 miles per hour relative to Earth, you’ll have a couple of options. On Dec. 10, about 30 minutes before sunrise, you’ll (hopefully) be able to spot it along the Eastern horizon, a few degrees beneath the bright star Arcturus. A few days later, on Dec. 17th, Leonard will appear just after sunset directly below Venus on the southwest horizon.
