A newly discovered comet, categorized by astronomers as a "sungrazer," is moving towards the sun and is expected to graze the sun's surface in mid-December.

Astronomers say that the comet, which will pass through the sun's more than 3.6 million degrees Farenheit temperature (2 million degrees Celcius), will most likely not survive this encounter and skywatchers can watch the comet's expected destruction in their computers.

Should it survive, which is very unlikely, the comet might become visible in broad daylight for a brief time, astronomers said.

The comet was discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy on Nov. 27. On Dec. 1, Lovejoy received confirmation of his discovery from Mount John Observatory, based in the Mackenzie Basin on the South Island of New Zealand. On Friday, the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union announced Lovejoy's discovery officially naming it C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy).

Astronomer Gareth V. Williams computed a preliminary orbit for the comet, which indicates that perihelion or closest approach to the sun, will occur at 7 p.m. EST Dec. 15 at a distance of 548,000 miles (882,000 km) from the center of the sun. This means the comet will skim a mere 115,000 miles (186,000 km) above the solar surface, putting it into the special classification of a "Kreutz Sungrazer."

Lovejoy's discovery is significant because it is first time that a Kreutz Sungrazer has been discovered from a ground-based telescope in over 40 years since usually such comets are discovered only from satellite imagery within a few days of their closest approach to the sun.

Astronomers said comet Lovejoy is expected to enter camera range beginning Dec. 12, rapidly moving up from the south, then curve up and around the sun in what may be its fiery demise on Dec. 16.