Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was discovered by the astronomer Gregory J. Leonard at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona. It brightened as it approached the Sun and passed closest to Earth in December 2021, when it was visible in binoculars and, from dark sites, to the naked eye, with a long tail. It came near Venus later that month, and astronomers watched as its tail was disturbed. Its path is hyperbolic, which means it will not return, and after passing the Sun in early 2022 it began to disintegrate and fade. It is one of the brightest comets of 2021.
Before and after
- 2 December 2020The first mRNA vaccine is authorised
- from 9 December 2020 to 4 February 2021Premiere of True Beauty
- 20212021 Russian protests
- 20212021 European floods
- 3 January 2021Discovery of C/2021 A1 (Leonard)
- 6 January 2021January 6 United States Capitol attack
- 6 January 2021Hong Kong 47
- 20 January 2021Inauguration of Joe Biden
- from 26 January 2021 to 27 November 2023Premiere of Go, Dog. Go!
More in Universe & space
- 4 October 1957Launch of Sputnik 1
- 22 October 1969Discovery of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko
- 14 September 1974Discovery of Leda
- 22 August 1981Discovery of Pan
- 19 January 2006Launch of New Horizons
- 26 June 2012Discovery of Styx
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 21st century.