Night sky comes alive with Comet Leonard & Ursid Meteor Shower
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Stargazers are in for a treat this week with both a comet and a meteor shower being visible for western North Carolina residents!
Comet Leonard, the brightest comet of 2021, will continue its journey and be visible starting Monday, Dec. 20, at about sunset and for an hour after sunset in the southwestern sky.
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Leonard has been visible across the night sky over the past couple of weeks and as it’s approached both the sun and Earth, it has brightened rapidly.
The comet passed closest to the Earth last Monday, at a distance of 21.7 million miles. Still, Comet Leonard is bright enough to see with the naked eye in a very dark location with little to no light pollution. It is easily visible with binoculars or a telescope.
For your best view of Comet Leonard, head out around sunset and look in the southwestern sky. The comet will move past Mercury and Venus, then Saturn and Jupiter. Comet Leonard will be visible through Christmas at this vantage point.
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Also, the Ursid Meteor Shower is set to peak the morning of Dec. 22 in the night sky! Those wanting to take a look should look up towards the Little Dipper in the house just before dawn.
The Ursid meteor shower runs from Dec. 17-26 every year, peaking around the December solstice, which comes this year on December 21. Still, there’s a good chance you’ll catch a glimpse of an Ursid meteor or two in the days before and after.
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Ursid meteor showers are generally fairly subdued, with five to 10 meteors per hour in a dark sky with no moon. Occasionally, skywatchers will get lucky and see bursts of 100 or more per hour.