12-14-2018, 04:00 PM
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The year's brightest comet streaks by Earth this weekend
The night sky will come alive this weekend when a green comet streaks by Earth on the heels of the Geminid meteor shower's display of green fireballs.
Comet 46P/Wirtanen began brightening in November, but it will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday and be visible with the naked eye. The comet will come within 7 million miles of Earth -- a proximity that won't happen again for 20 years. That's 30 times the moon's distance from us.
The comet should be brightest on December 16, as bright as the star in the constellation of the Little Dipper's handle, according to NASA. But even now, it's currently the brightest comet in the night sky, and the brightest of 2018.
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