Tonight is the best chance to catch a glimpse of the Christmas comet - and here is the best way star gazers can see it.

Officially known as 46P/Wirtanen, the comet will be the closest to Earth it has been for a few decades, meaning it will be bright enough to see with the naked eye from a dark spot.

To see it, find Orion, the archer, and follow the line of his arm through the centre of the bow diagonally right and up.

You should see two stars close together that form part of Taurus - the comet will be just underneath it.

You can see for yourself how the sky should look at the time of night you want at the amazing in-the-sky.org/skymap.php – change your location, the time and search 46P in the lower search box.

Tonight is also expected to be the peak of the annual Geminids meteor shower – look to the left of Orion and up. These are best seen at around 2am in the morning but you may well catch a shooting star or two earlier than that.

Experts recommend you let your eyes get accustomed to the dark before you try to spot the comet. Apps like Sky View, Night Sky or Star Chart can help you work out where to look, but once you know, don’t be tempted to keep checking your phone.