The rare Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, officially christened C/2023 A3, is expected to come the closest to the Earth at about 44 million miles from October 11 to 18. This means that the Earth will behold a celestial event that comes about once every 80,000 years this October. It will grace the western sky of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres after dusk.
Stargazers will first witness the event on the evening of October 11; however, it may be difficult to do so, given that it will be low on the horizon. Nicknamed "Comet of the Century," the A3 was first uncovered by those at the Purple Mountain Observatory in China and an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in South Africa.
Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, aka C/2023 A3, can be viewed without binoculars, researchers say
According to KSAT.com, optimal viewing time lies between 7:40 pm-8:00 pm, given that the comet can only be seen about 40 minutes after the onset of dusk. The best way to observe this phenomenon would be to head to a broader area free from light pollution. Fix your gaze at Venus on the western horizon, and slightly towards the right, you will notice a clouded star with a tail light.
According to College of Charleston professor of physics and astronomy Ashley Pagnotta, per Post and Courier, the comet can be visible without binoculars by October 12. However, they "help," she said. According to Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the Bell Museum in Minnesota,
“It’ll be this fuzzy circle with a long tail stretching away from it."
Per NPR.org, Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, told NPR,
"Comets look okay to the unaided eye, but with a pair of binoculars, they'll knock your socks off. It'll be really good in a pair of binoculars. So, if you got a pair of binoculars, why don't you bring those along and take a look at the comet.”
The imminent star is 2 miles in diameter, while its tail, made of dust and gas, spans millions of miles. As the days progress, A3 will move further and further away due to the star moving away from the sun as it leaves the solar system. However, this also means it will be harder to see as its light diminishes.
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Post that, per Cooke, the A3 will still be visible for a while, but only with a professional telescope. However, should you miss your chance, it's impossible to witness such an event again as the comet won't appear for another 80,000 years, NASA reported.
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