GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (WOOD) – Astronomers will want to keep an eye on the sky over the next few days, as a comet with a 69-year orbit is expected to pass by Earth.
It is called Comet 13P/Olbers, named after astronomer Heinrich Olbers, who is credited with first identifying the comet in 1815. P stands for periodic, which means the comet takes less than 200 years to complete its orbit. The comet was given the number 13 because it was the 13th periodic comet to be identified.
According to NASA, the comet is considered a “Near-Earth Asteroid” due to the proximity of its orbit to Earth, but it is not considered potentially dangerous. On this pass, the comet will come as close as 1.9 astronomical units far from Earth’s orbit – 1.9 of the average distance between Earth and the Sun or approximately 284 million kilometers.
In its orbit, the comet will come as close as 1.18 AU from the Sun and extend up to 32.64 AU away from the Sun. The comet is currently approaching its perihelion – the closest point to the Sun. It will reach that point on Sunday, June 30th. It will reach its closest point to Earth on July 20.
The comet’s orbit is elliptical and takes 25,400 days to complete its journey. According to SpaceReference.orgThe comet was last observed by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center on September 12, 1956.
StarWalk says the comet should be visible on Sunday with binoculars and reach a maximum brightness of 6.5. The comet is passing through the lower end of the Lynx constellation and begins to cross above Leo Minor in mid-July.
There are several maps that can help stargazers locate the comet, including the Sky tonight application.
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