Comet 41P - Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak is expected to zoom in nearest to Earth on April Fools Day, April 1. On this date, sky watchers and astrophotographers will have an experience to see with their binoculars and telescopes the glowing green comet at its nearest distance, since it was discovered in 1858.
A report from Space confirmed that the April Fools Day Comet 41P - T-G-K will be approaching at 13.2 million miles or 21.2 million kilometers away from Earth. This is the closest approach of the comet in its periodic return as recorded by its discoverers Tuttle, Giacobini and Kresak. However, the perihelion will be passing on April 12 and the comet is located at 97.1 million miles away from the sun.
This is not the usual April Fools Day trick because the comet will get closest to Earth on Saturday at 9:00 P.M. ET a distance that is roughly 50 times the distance of the moon. It was reported too that during this time, the comet will be near the Big Dipper's handle, the NGC 3198 otherwise known as Herschel 146 which is located 47 million light years away in the Ursa Major constellation.
The April Fools Day Comet 41P-T-G-K is not large enough to be seen by the naked eye because its diameter only measures less than one mile. To skywatchers, take note that this comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere, of course with the aid of good binoculars or by using small telescopes.
It can be recalled that the comet was named after its three discoverers who have spotted it separately way back in 1858, 1907 and 1951 but the comet is one and the same. The comet, which is part of the planet Jupiter comets passes by Earth every five and a half years.