Green Christmas Comet 46P/Wirtanen Paper Plates

Comet 46P/Wirtanen is one of the brightest comets to approach Earth in recent years. It is visible in the night December sky through a small telescope, binoculars and even without magnification in dark areas. One unusual feature of Comet Wirtanen is that it exhibits a fuzzy green color. This green hue, combined with it’s brightest appearance in mid-December, gives it the nickname “Christmas comet.” Comet 46P/Wirtanen is a short period comet that comes around every 5.4 years and may be responsible for a small meteor shower. It’s size is estimated at 1.2 kilometers in diameter.