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When a star appeared in the sky a month of December, more than 2,000 years ago, it was the sign that the baby Jesus was about to be born.
Now our Christmas is about to be illuminated by the arrival of a huge comet – although wise men (or women) are not very numerous in these troubled times.
We can not tell you if Comet 46P / Wirtanen is an omen, but we can assure you that this is not an omen of the apocalypse.
The gigantic object has more than 1 km wide but will certainly not touch the planet Earth.
It will zoom on December 17 over a distance of 7 million kilometers, but will remain visible in the sky for several days.
However, anyone who hopes to feed on gold, frankincense and myrrh before following the comet and finding his savior should probably ask Waze to point him out.
Astronomer Joseph Rao said that it would be possible to see it, but that the comet will be very difficult to spot.
"Among the places plagued by light pollution, I bet that watching this comet is going to prove to be a difficult, if not almost impossible, task," he wrote.
"And even for those lucky enough to have a dark, starry sky, finding the comet could prove a bit of a challenge."
He added: "In fact, under a completely black sky and free of light pollution, the best instruments to locate the comet may be your own eyes.
"Most people who eventually locate it in their binoculars or telescopes will usually describe it as an almost circular cloud, comparable or equal to the angular-sized Moon, and appearing a little lighter and more condensed near the center."
The virtual telescope will hold two viewing sessions on December 12 and 16, which means you can connect to its website to view the Christmas comet in the comfort of your own home.
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