Skywatchers have a rare opportunity to enjoy the view of a once-in-lifetime comet later this week as it would pass by the Earth before getting lost in the vast expanse of cosmos forever.
The Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has been around for close to two years now as it was first detected by astronomers in China at the Tsuchinshan Observatory, also known as Purple Mountain Observatory on January 9, 2023.A month later, the comet was sighted in South Africa by independent observers using the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, telescope.
Comets are large objects made of dust and ice that orbit the Sun and have long, streaming tails. They are leftovers from the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is no different from other comets.
Most comets are too faint to be visible without the aid of a telescope, but very few are bright enough to be visible to the naked eye.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comes from the Oort Cloud, a realm filled with frozen debris on the outer edge of our solar system. The comet may orbit the sun once every 80,000 years.
“But this comet may actually never come back around again. As it travels away from the sun again, the effects of other objects’ gravity could kick the comet out of the solar system altogether,” Michelle Nichols, the director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago tells New York Times.
When to see Tsuchinchan-ATLAS?
Tsuchinchan-ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on October 12, within a distance of 44 million miles, experts say. The comet will be at its brightest best on the evening of October 9 due to its position when dusty debris will scatter light from the sun directly towards people from Earth, which would give the comet its brilliant shine. This is also known as forward scattering, which if bright enough, will enable observers to see it during the day as well.
How to see the comet?
“Any comet that even remotely approaches naked-eye visibility is a comet worth going out to see. Because we just don’t get them all that often,” said Nichols.
The comet can be seen with the naked eye from October 9 onwards throughout the end of the month. Experts suggest heading to the darkest location to get a spectacular view of the western horizon.
In case you want to catch a glimpse of the comet after sunset, it can be found low in the sky around where it has set. Considering it will look faint during this time, it can be watched through a telescope or binoculars.
After October 9, the comet may lose its brightness and will be much dimmer, but will continue to be seen.
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