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If you’re a fan of stargazing, make sure you mark Thursday evening off in your diary.

That evening, a huge comet called Comet 168P/Hergenrother is predicted to reach its brightest point as it flies past our planet.

It remains unclear whether or not it will be visible in the night sky, with no confirmed sightings of the comet this year.

However, predictions indicate that there's a small chance you could see it - here's everything you need to know.

What is Comet 168P/Hergenrother?

Comet 168P/Hergenrother was first discovered in 1998.

(Image: NASA)

NASA explained: “Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust that orbit the Sun.

“When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit brings it close to the Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets.

“The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of miles.”

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When will it fly past Earth?

On Thursday night, comet 168P/Hergenrother is forecast to reach its brightest point.

In-The-Sky.org explained: "From London, it will be visible in the dawn sky, rising at 21:16 (BST) – 8 hours and 41 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 53° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks around 04:25."

However, speaking to Mirror Online, Robert Massey, Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society, explained that the chances of seeing it are fairly low.

He said: "The problem is that no one has actually seen the comet this year, and in any case it would be pretty faint."

How to see the comet

For your best chance of seeing the comet, look just above the eastern horizon at around 21:15 BST. If you have a telescope this could come in handy, otherwise it will be very faint with the naked eye.

The comet will look like a large bright star, with a tail of light trailing behind it.

This story has been updated to clarify that the comet may not be visible with the naked eye.