A BRIGHT comet will be visible to the naked eye tonight, before disappearing into darkness over the coming days.
It will be one of the last opportunities to view the comet at its peak brightness before it passes Earth without returning for another 80,000 years.
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Comet C/2023 A3 is also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLASCredit: SWNS
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The space rock comes from the Oort cloud, a giant shell around our solar system that contains millions of comets and other icy debris Credit: SWNS
Comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was previously visible from Earth between September 27 and October 2.
However, it disappeared from view when it became too close to the sun to be seen from the northern or southern hemisphere.
Between October 12 and 13, the comet will make its closest approach to Earth – at a safe distance of approximately 44 million miles.
It will shine around magnitude +2 or magnitude +1 – which is how the brightness of space objects is measured.
This puts the comet at a similar visibility to Polaris, also known as the North Star.
After this weekend, the comet will begin to fade before disappearing completely around October 20.
The space rock comes from the Oort cloud, a giant shell around our solar system that contains millions of comets and other icy debris.
It is characterized by a long, two-pronged tail of dust and ice that follows it, which experts say will be illuminated by the sun in white and blue.
It is this tail that makes it more visible to stargazers on Earth during its greatest brightness.
Astronauts Matthew Dominick and Dom Pettit, who are both avid astrophotographers, spotted the space rock before it became visible to the naked eye using orbital geometry and mathematics.
The pair, currently aboard the International Space Station, captured the once-in-a-lifetime comet on camera – as shown in the video above.
How to see Comet A3
Although the comet should be visible to the naked eye, it never hurts to be prepared for a darker view.
Having a good pair of stargazing binoculars or a small telescope handy will improve the view.
Comet A3 will be in the constellation Ophiuchus above the western horizon.
You can download an astronomy app that will help you find Ophiuchus in the sky.
It’s important to note that cloud cover can spoil your view of the ‘once in a lifetime’ comet.
Moonlight can also affect the brightness of a space rock.
What is the difference between asteroids, meteors and comets?
Here’s what you need to know, according to Nasa…
- Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most of them are in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter), but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can affect Earth)
- Meteoroid: When two asteroids collide, the small pieces that break off are called meteoroids
- Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it begins to evaporate and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it will look like a glimmer of light in the sky, because the rock is burning
- Meteorite: If a meteoroid does not completely vaporize and survive its journey through Earth’s atmosphere, it may land on Earth. At that moment it becomes a meteorite
- Comet: Like an asteroid, a comet orbits the Sun. However, instead of being mostly rock, comets contain a lot of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the evaporation of ice and dust).
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education