The green comet: Coming soon to a night sky near you

The green comet is coming. And no, we’re not talking about the latest Marvel movie.

This comet comes along a lot less often than that steady stream of superhero flicks. It will be visible from Earth around mid-week — the first time that’s been the case in, oh, 50,000 years or so.

We asked H.R. MacMillan Space Centre resident astronomer Marley Leacock a few questions about how best to view the comet and other trivia about the infrequent visitor:

Q: When is the peak time to view it, and will it be easily visible assuming clear skies in Metro Vancouver?

A: “The comet is closest to Earth on Wednesday, Feb. 1, and it should also be at its brightest,” says Leacock. But even at its brightest, the comet is “close to the limits our eyes can see in perfect dark sky conditions.”