Stargazers will have a rare chance to see a green streak crossing the sky Tuesday night, Newsweek reports. First discovered in late 2017, the speedy chunk of ice and rock known formally as PanSTARRS C/2017 S3 is making its rounds again, but in a slightly different way this time.
Back in July, observers were able to see the bright green color of the comet thanks to a cloud of cyanide and carbon molecules surrounding it — hence its nickname, the "Incredible Hulk." As it got closer to the sun, the comet broke up from the intense heat, which means it's fading from view, Weather reported. But if we're lucky, another explosion of the comet's pieces, which are still traveling together, may make it brighter as it crosses the night sky.
At its closest, the "Incredible Hulk" will be about 70 million miles from the Earth, before passing us to head closer to the sun, Live Science reported. By August 15, it will reach its closest point to the sun — just 18.5 million miles away, which is even closer than Mercury is — before turning around and heading back into space.
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Fans of this comet, or its superhero namesake, might want to take their opportunity to glimpse it tonight, because if it continues to fade, this may very well be our last chance to see it. Read more about the "Incredible Hulk" at Weather.
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