Bright Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Becomes Visible in Evening Sky

The comet will make its first evening appearance on Friday, visible low in the west during twilight. It will rise higher and become more easily visible throughout the weekend, reaching its peak visibility early next week.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), discovered in early 2023, is now nearing Earth after swinging around the Sun on September 27th. On October 12th, it will pass within 44 million miles of our planet, providing a brief window of visibility as it shines in the Sun's warmth and light.

How To See The Comet
"Starting on October 11th, comet spotters might catch a glimpse of the comet just above the western horizon during twilight," says Sky and Telescope Contributing Editor Bob King. "Binoculars will enhance your view throughout its appearance."

To spot the comet, look for Venus, the bright Evening Star, about 40 minutes after sunset on Friday. The comet will be positioned roughly 2 0.5 fists to the right of Venus at arm's length. Initially, it may appear as a hazy star with a small tail, visible only briefly before setting.

The best views will come over the following days. On Saturday, October 12th, the comet will be higher and easier to spot. By Monday, October 14th, it will be more prominent in the sky, located about two fists to the upper right of Venus for observers in the northern U.S. and directly to the right of Venus for those in the southern U.S.

For the next few days, the comet will climb higher, making it easier to see despite the brightening Moon. Around October 20th, a period of true darkness between twilight and moonrise will provide optimal viewing conditions, though the comet will begin to fade by then, eventually disappearing from unaided sight later in the month.

Comet Origins and Fate
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered by teams at China's Purple Mountain Observatory and South Africa's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in early 2023. The comet, which originated in the Oort Cloud, has been traveling towards the Sun for tens of thousands of years. As it neared the Sun, its ices evaporated, forming the bright dust and gas cloud that we see as its head and tail.

After passing the Sun and entering the evening sky of the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will gradually recede and fade. It will likely remain visible through binoculars into early November, but will not be observable to the naked eye by the end of October. Eventually, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will drift far into space, unlikely to return to the solar system.

Bob [email protected] [email protected]