PHOTOS: Rare comet glows in evening sky
Look to the sky this week after sunset to catch a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as it swings past Earth for the first time in 80,000 years.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was spotted by many skywatchers across the United States on Oct. 12-14. The comet was visible to the naked eye and NASA called this a “once-in-80,000-year” event.
A bright comet has made a rare appearance in the sky, and skywatchers will have several opportunities to see it before it retreats into the icy depths of space.
Comet C/2023 A3, also known as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is visiting the inner solar system for the first time in 80,000 years and is putting on a show. It has become bright enough to see with the naked eye after sunset, and is expected to remain bright throughout the week.
Photographers have already captured stunning images of the comet, which is around the same brightness as Comet NEOWISE was during the summer of 2020.
How to see Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will be visible in the western sky about 30 to 60 minutes after sunset. It will appear above and to the right of Venus, which will be easy to spot due to how bright it glows in the evening.
Where to find Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in the western sky after sunset through Oct. 24, 2024. (NASA JPL)
Each evening, the comet will appear slightly higher in the sky. However, it will also start to fade, so experts recommend looking for it after sunset before it becomes too dim to see without a telescope.
What is a comet?
Comets are frozen space rocks containing gas, dust and ice that typically reside in the far reaches of our solar system.
"When a comet's orbit brings it close to the sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets," NASA explained on its website, "The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the sun for millions of miles."
Halley's Comet is one of the most well-known comets, which orbits the sun about once every 76 years. However, most comets take thousands of years to complete one orbit around the sun, such as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.
When will the next comet be visible?
Another comet, known as C/2024 S1 (ATLAS), was recently discovered and has the potential to put on a grand display in the morning sky around the end of October and the start of November. However, it is far from a guarantee.
According to EarthSky, Comet S1 comet might be breaking apart as it approaches the sun. "After its close encounter with the sun (if it survived) it could put on a fantastic show for the Northern Hemisphere in the morning skies," EarthSky explained.
Astronomers will have a better idea later this month on how bright the new comet may get in the sky.
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