A Rare Comet Will Be Closest to Earth This Weekend—Here's How to See It for the First Time in 68 Years

Look into the night sky this weekend and chances are high that you'll see a rare comet. Comet 13P/Olbers is making its way back to the inner solar system after 68 years and it will be closest to Earth on Saturday, July 20, according to EarthSky.org.

The Halley-type comet orbits the sun every 68 years and is classified by NASA/JPL as a "New Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth. Despite this classification, the comet is not considered hazardous to our planet.

Comet 13P/Olbers is currently approaching the inner solar system at a speed of 83,802 miles per hour. During its closest approach to Earth, the comet is expected to pass at a distance of 176 million miles. Even at this distance, Comet 13P/Olbers is the brightest comet in the sky right now, per EarthSky.org.

To view Comet 13P/Olbers, you will need binoculars or a small telescope as its brightness is too low to be visible to the naked eye. Stargazers located on the Northern Hemisphere will have the best chance at spotting the comet. Using binoculars, look into the night sky on July 20 and you just may be able to spot the celestial phenomenon while it's at its closest point to Earth.