A Christchurch man has shared a stunning image captured on Sunday night of 2021's best comet.
Comet Leonard, nicknamed the 'Christmas Comet', was first seen nearly a year ago by Greg Leonard - an astronomer at the University of Arizona in the US. It has increased in brightness and grown a tail, making it visible to the naked eye earlier this month.
The comet hit the skies of the Southern Hemisphere in the past few days - and one Kiwi cashed in.
"I have an #astrophotography hangover after getting home late last night but caught me a comet, as hoped," said University of Canterbury marketing professor and amateur astrophotographer Ekant Veer, who shared a photo of the comet on Twitter. He captured the image over Canterbury's Lake Ellesmere on Sunday.
According to Greg Leonard, the comet is moving at an escape velocity of about 71 kilometres per second.
It will reach its closest approach to the sun on Monday.
"After its slingshot around the sun, it will be ejected from our solar system and it may stumble into another star system millions of years from now," Leonard said.
Experts have said the best place to catch a glimpse of the comet in New Zealand is the lower half of the sky looking west - but telescopes and binoculars would be needed in urban areas and recommended getting out of the city.
