'Christmas Comet' to be 10th-closest to Earth since 1950, visible to naked eye

(WZTV) The brightest comet of the year is expected to streak across the night sky on Sunday and some astronomers believe it will be visible to the naked eye.

46P/Wirtanen has also been dubbed the 'Christmas Comet,' because it is the last comet of the year. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the comet is estimated to be 3/4 of a mile across and will be easiest to see on December 16.

That's because the comet will be just 7.2 million miles from earth. According to research by the University of Maryland, the Christmas Comet will be the 10th-closest comet to earth since 1950.

There is some concern the comet could not be as bright as expected, but a pair of binoculars or a telescope will do the job.