A comet will be passing by Earth for the first time in 80 millennia – and you might have the chance to see it for yourself.
If you don’t have plans this weekend, then watching out for a comet set to pass by Earth could be the ideal thing to pass some time.
Astronomical events are always fun to view firsthand – as many Americans will know that experience firsthand after witnessing the solar eclipse earlier this year.
However, another event to look out for will be occurring in the coming days, with a comet set to be visible from Earth for the first time in 80,000 years.
Comet-C/2024 A3, best known by the name Tsuchinshan-ATLA S, was first discovered in 2023, according to Astronomy.com – and it’s returning to our skies after 80,000 years this weekend.
When can I see the comet?
The comet is believed to be visible from Earth starting the morning of September 27 and will last until September 30.
This means that the knowledgeable stargazers who already knew about this timeline will have already gotten their eyes on the miraculous comet this morning.
However, for those who haven’t seen the comet, don’t worry.
Even if waking up an hour before sunrise isn’t in the books for you this weekend, you still might have a chance to witness Comet-C/2024 A3 as it is believed that the comet will be visible yet again starting around October 10th.
So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows. But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a… pic.twitter.com/JstaSLJ4Ui
— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) September 19, 2024
How and where can I see it?
While it ultimately depends on where in the world you’re located, those of you in the northern hemisphere will look towards the east-southeastern horizon about an hour before sunrise, according to VT.
CBS News also reports that the comet will be a few degrees above the ESE horizon and will be visible for an hour before sunrise – so best be quick.
While the angle could make it difficult for some people to see the astronomical event, some experts say the comet will be bright enough to see without a telescope, however, according to Live Science, it’s best to have one or a pair of binoculars to hand as comets can be fickle.
As for when it returns in October, it is believed that the comet will be visible looking towards the west soon after sunset.
This, of course, means that it will be passing the Earth closer to the Sun, where it could become lost in the Sun’s glare.
However, comets are hard to predict even just a few weeks in advance, so knowledge about Comet-C/2024 A3’s second stint of visibility is not as certain as its current one.
Happy comet hunting.
Featured Image Credit: Jim Miller/Anton Petrus
