On January 3, comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) will be 144 million km from our Sun
Spaceships on mission around the Sol, managed by Nasa and for space agency European Union (ESA), are providing beautiful images of the Kite
C/2021 A1, better known as Leonard, an ultra-fast piece of rock, dust and ice that currently travels through the Solar System.
Comets usually appear from nowhere, or more precisely, from the Oort Cloud. This is the case of Leonard, which became visible to astronomers in early January of this year, explains the American website Gizmodo.
Leonard will continue to make “visits” to Earth’s neighborhood for a while, but not that long. The comet is rapidly approaching perihelion, which is the closest distance from the Sun along its orbit, the site explains, which makes it glow and have a dusty, gaseous tail. However, it wears out over the years.
In addition, currently C/2021 A1 is very weak and is only visible from Earth through telescopes or binoculars.
Leonard’s closest approach will take place on Jan. 3, by which time he will be 144 million km from the Sun, says Gizmodo.
If it doesn’t disintegrate, it will begin a 35,000-year long journey to the edge of the Solar System.
The journey of comet Leonard is also being reported by space telescopes, specifically the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A (STEREO-A), operated by NASA, and the Solar Orbiter, a joint project between NASA and ESA.
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