Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas

• 11 Oct 2024

On 12th October 2024, Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas will make a close approach to Earth and will remain visible through the end of October, weather permitting.

Key Points

• What Is Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas? Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, designated C/2023 A3, was discovered last year by observatories in China and South Africa.
• Originating from the distant Oort Cloud beyond Pluto, it will come within 44 million miles (71 million kilometers) of Earth — a once-in-80,000-years event. After this pass, it won’t return for millennia, assuming it survives its journey past the sun.
• What Does It Look Like? The comet is expected to be visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy circle with a long, streaming tail.
• How to View the Comet? To spot the comet, head outdoors about an hour after sunset on a clear night and look toward the western sky. It should be visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres.
• What Are Comets? Comets are frozen remnants from the solar system's formation billions of years ago. As they heat up nearing the sun, they release gas and dust, forming their signature tails.
• In recent years, notable comets like Neowise in 2020 and Hale-Bopp in the 1990s also graced the night sky.