Comets are among the most exciting celestial objects to watch. These visitors from the outer reaches of the solar system are basically debris — dust, bits of rock, and frozen gases — left over from its formation. There are a bunch of them out there, too. According to NASA, there are probably billions of comets orbiting the Sun in the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. And sometimes, one passes close enough to Earth for us to see it.
Comet C/2023 A3 peaked in October 2024 and is already starting to fade as it moves away from Earth. If you missed it, don’t worry. There’s another comet set to arrive before the end of the year and a few more coming in 2025. Here’s what to watch for, plus some tips for optimizing your comet watching.
1. Comet 333P/LINEAR
On its first return to our neighborhood since its discovery in 2007, comet 333P/LINEAR will make its closest approach to the Sun on November 29, 2024 and to Earth on December 9, 2024. It should be visible early in the morning in early December and late in the evening.
