Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS Could Develop Notable Tail, Be Visible When It Approaches Earth Mid-October

A comet is making a close approach to Earth in the coming months, and according to a report, it might be visible to the naked eye.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Might Be Visible In Mid-October

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is reportedly making a close approach to our planet this fall. However, it won't reach that orbital point until late July. A new photo of the comet was released earlier this month.

Beyond that point, if it keeps getting brighter over time, there's a strong possibility it will become something visually striking. It's more likely that all bets on a strong display are off if its brightening trend abruptly slows down or stops. All we can do is wait and observe until then.

Sadly, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will be too far south for us to observe with telescopes this summer, so we here in the Northern Hemisphere will be unable to monitor its condition. However, those who live in far-southern regions like South America, Australia, and New Zealand can track it in the early morning, before sunrise.

According to some projections, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may reach Venus-like brightness on Oct. 8, 2024. However, like the comets of 1927 and 2007, it will also be extremely close to the sun in the sky. But in the days that follow, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS should swiftly move north, positioning itself so that by mid-October, it is a good sight in the western sky.

It will now start dimming as it moves away from the sun and Earth, but ideally, it will still be brilliant enough to be visible with the unaided eye. It might even have a noticeable tail.

However, there are no assurances about its visibility. Comets in the past have seemed to promise an amazing spectacle but fell short of the hype, like Comet Kohoutek of 1973-74.

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What Is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was spotted in South Africa on Feb. 22, 2023, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). The robotic early warning system known as ATLAS was created expressly to identify near-Earth asteroids a few weeks to a few days before they may potentially harm Earth.

It was eventually discovered that the same object, which was initially believed to be an asteroid, had been photographed six weeks earlier by the Purple Mountain Observatory (Tsuchinshan), located east of Nanjing, China. Subsequently, it was discovered to be an oncoming comet.

We expect a spectacular change as it approaches its closest point to the sun on Sept. 27, 2024. Experts predict that as it makes a warm visit to the inner solar system, its brightness will increase from an astounding 680 million miles to a comfortable 36 million miles.

Sky enthusiasts will have the best seats in the cosmos to see the comet's majesty as it passes 44 million miles from Earth.

Mark Oct. 12-19, 2024, on your calendar, as the comet may shine as brightly as the brightest stars during this period. This comet could proudly display its bright, blazing head and tail and peak on the 17th, even with the moon's dazzling interference.