WEST MICHIGAN — We all know Santa Claus is coming to town next week, but for the next two weeks the Christmas Comet will be possible to see in the night sky (sky cover permitting). It’s formally known as Comet Wirtanen. It will fly closest to the earth than it has in the past 70 years…about seven million miles away to be exact.
Here’s the good news, if you miss it this week due to cloudy skies, look for it next week too. It’s only visible once every five years, and it won’t be this close again for another 20 years! The comet will appear as a bright green speck or blur in the night sky (see photo courtesy of NASA). Remember, these comets are typically made up and composed of ice.
It can be seen looking toward the Taurus Constellation between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters. Click here for more information.
Get the complete West Michigan forecast at www.fox17online.com/weather. Have a good week!
