Washington, Feb 11 : On February 24th, sky gazers will be treated to the spectacle of a rare green comet, as it would be make its closest approach to Earth that day.
According to a report in Discovery News, the comet, found by Quanzhi Ye, a meteorology undergraduate student at China's Sun Yat-Sen University in July 2007, has vivid green hues.
The color is caused by gases spewing off the comet nucleus as it heats up during its trip toward the sun. The gases glow green in sunlight.
Quanzhi Ye made the find in July 2007 while studying a picture taken by a Taiwanese astronomer working at the Lulin Observatory, for which the comet was named.
It became visible this month.