comet

It's been a pretty good couple of months for star-gazing in the Rockford area. We just finished up with the Geminid Meteor Showers last week, now we move on to what's sometimes referred to as The Christmas Comet.

When something shows up in the sky once every 7000 years or so, it's worth heading outside for a look. And, unlike most celestial events, this one has an extended viewing window.

Outer space is rather large. Some say it's even infinite. So when you hear that a comet that is 3km wide may be on a collision course with Earth, you may be thinking to yourself, "Pffft! Nobody knows how big a km is, and it's only three of them anyways. What's the big deal?" Well, it is a big deal.

Nothing makes you feel small than seeing celestial event. An eclipse, Aurora Borealis, or garbage thrown from a passing UFO. When you see something flash and burn across the night sky your first reaction is to say, "Oooooooooohhhh", followed by making a wish...