Comet 46P/Wirtanen

Comet 46P/Wirtanen is a n icy   small Solar System body  that, when passing close to the  Sun , will warm and begin to release gases, a process called  outgassing . This produces a visible atmosphere or  coma , and also a  tail . These phenomena are due to the effects of  solar radiation  and the  solar wind  acting upon the nucleus of the comet. However, this time around, the ion tail will be pointing  away from the Earth and difficult to see due to the geometry. It will hopefully improve as the comet approaches perihelion (19 May 2024). The Comet 46P/Wirtanen nucleus is approximately 1.2  kilometers diameter (example distance & size shown above) and is composed of loose collections of ice, dust, and small rocky particles. Although actual sizes are yet to be determined, the coma may be up to 15 times the Earth's diameter, while the tail may stretch one  astronomical unit . Expected to be sufficiently bright, Comet 46P Wirtanen  may be seen from the Earth without the