Tamworth's amateur astronomers in awe as Comet Leonard lights up night sky, visible across region after sunset

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard), also known as the 'Christmas comet', reached its closest point to Earth earlier this month, but there is still time to catch a glimpse of the cosmic wonder.

Amateur astronomer and president of the Tamworth Regional Astronomy Club Garry Copper said the comet, which is visible to the naked eye, will be around for another week or so.

"It's fading as it travels around the sun and is kicked out of the solar system on its current orbit," he said.

"There's at least six to eight comets visible in our telescopes at any time but the odd one becomes a naked-eye object and generates some extra attention."

Mr Copper is one of many astronomy club members who have been watching Leonard keenly, and from his South Tamworth backyard he has been capturing stunning photographs of its nightly display.

"This particular comet is right above where the sun sets, but we can still see it, because it doesn't get particularly close to the sun like some comets do," he said.

"It's visible from our western sky after sunset. We'll probably be able to see if for another couple of weeks yet even though it's going around the sun.

"It's quite bright. I was out there last night photographing it, and another guy here was photographing it on his phone.

"A couple of nights ago my son could see it naked-eyed just from my backyard, even though it's starting to fade a little bit."

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Mr Copper said the best way to spot Leonard is to look to where the sun is setting on sunset.

"Then go out at about 9pm, because it's got to be fairly dark, and then just look straight up from where the sun sets," he said.

"It's up about 25 degrees in elevation at about 9pm. It's been sitting just up over the trees in my backyard."

Mr Copper described the comet as the most exciting thing to light up the sky in 2021.

"It's an inbound long period comet with an orbital period of 80,000 years," he said.

"It has spent the last 40,000 years heading back into the sun but the orbit its on now will see it kicked out of the solar system, never to return."

Comet Leonard was first discovered a year ago by astronomer Greg Leonard and became visible in the Southern Hemisphere on December 16.

Made of a mass of ice, rock, and space dust, Comet Leonard is just under a kilometre wide.

Although visible to the naked eye, is best seen through a small telescope or binoculars on a clear night.

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