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A rare comet last seen nearly 70 years ago will fly past Earth this weekend.
Sky watchers will have their best chance to catch a glimpse of the celestial phenomenon on Sunday when “it is expected to shine with a magnitude of 6.5, visible through binoculars,” according to StarWalk.
Comet 13P/Olbers, named after astronomer Heinrich Olbers, was first identified in 1815. The comet is a periodic occurrence that’s visible every 69 years. It last appeared in the sky in 1956.
NASA graphic showing the orbit of Comet 13p/Olbers in our solar system.NASA
If the sky is clear, the comet could be seen Sunday evening with the help of a telescope or binoculars.
If you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home to view the comet, you can track it on the Sky Tonight app, which also allows you to set notifications for when the comet will reach its closest point to the sun.
Once Olbers is gone, a potential “comet of the century,” is set to approach the Earth in October 2024. The comet, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), could be visible to the naked eye, with one of the brightest magnitudes in the night sky.