What に means in に迫っている?


I'm confused what に is doing in this sentence.

> 千二百年に一度という彗星の来訪が、いよいよひと月後 **に** 迫っています。

I wonder if this に specifies when 迫る will happen. If that's case, then why 迫る
is in ている form not plain form?

Perhaps, に goes with verb 迫る, where XXXに迫る means "approach XXX." But I'm not
sure how it works if XXX represents time.

What is the possible English translation for「ひと月後に迫っている」?




The phrase ひと月後に is a modifier of 迫っています, indicating when the event will draw
near. With the modifier removed, the sentence is:

> 千二百年に一度という彗星の来訪が迫っています。

indicating that it is the arrival of the comet that is drawing near (迫っています).

Putting all this together, one translation might be:

> 千二百年に一度という彗星の来訪が、いよいよひと月後に迫っています。
>
> Only one more month to go until the imminent arrival of this comet — an
> event that occurs once every 1,200 years.




The phrase ひと月後に is a modifier of 迫っています, indicating when the event will draw
near. With the modifier removed, the sentence is:

> 千二百年に一度という彗星の来訪が迫っています。

indicating that it is the arrival of the comet that is drawing near (迫っています).

Putting all this together, one translation might be:

> 千二百年に一度という彗星の来訪が、いよいよひと月後に迫っています。
>
> Only one more month to go until the imminent arrival of this comet — an
> event that occurs once every 1,200 years.

