April Fools’ Day Comet To Zoom By Earth Today, No Kidding!

Today, the day of pranks and jokes, will actually see a comet nicknamed April Fools’ Day Comet swooping close to Earth. Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak is known by the quirky name owing to the timing of its nearest approach to the planet Earth.

Apart from its whimsical nickname, Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak has a long name in recognition of all the astronomers who discovered and rediscovered it through the past many decades. It was first discovered in 1858, and it was spotted subsequently in 1907 and 1951.

The comet, which measures about 1.4 kilometers (0.87 mile), orbits around the Sun every 5.5 years. However, today, on April 1, Comet 41P will be at its closest point to the planet Earth in more than a century -- passing at a distance of just under 14 million miles. However, there is no reason to worry about a collision.

Astronomers and space enthusiasts have already been monitoring the progress of the comet. Tenagra Observatories in Arizona posted an image of Comet 41P on March 22, where it was seen among the stars of the constellation Ursa Major.

The celestial body will be close enough to Earth today to track its journey through a telescope. According to NASA, people should be able to view the comet through binoculars. One can also watch the comet today via Slooh’s live tracking that will use telescopes located in the Canary Islands.

"This comet is famous for major outbursts that make it highly variable in brightness," NASA said on its website. “The comet will be visible with binoculars from March to June and could even be visible with an unaided eye around perihelion on April 13, 2017.” Interestingly, the comet’s appearance may have a greenish tint -- a fact that made it a popular sight to observe on St. Patrick's Day this year.