Comet C/2023 A3

In October, 2024, Kerala University’s Thiruvananthapuram Astronomical Observatory successfully captured images of the rare comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), marking a significant milestone in the field of astronomy.

Key Points

Discovery of Comet C/2023 A3: The comet was first discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory in China on January 9, 2023, and was independently observed by ATLAS South Africa in September 2023, originating from the distant Oort cloud.
Visibility after Perihelion: The comet became visible to the naked eye after it passed perihelion on 27^th September 2024, at a distance of just 0.39 AU from the sun, but was briefly hindered by cloudy weather conditions in Kerala.
Successful Observation: Although the comet was closest to Earth on 12 October, bad weather delayed its sighting in Thiruvananthapuram until 18 October, when the skies finally cleared, allowing successful observation by the local astronomical observatory.
Efforts by Observatory Team: The achievement is credited to Rahul Dev, head of telescope operations, and research assistant C. Fazil, who worked tirelessly to capture the comet, contributing to a rare astronomical sighting for the region.
Current and Future Observability: The comet is currently located in the Orion constellation and is expected to remain observable for the next three days, weather permitting, although its brightness will start to fade as it moves away from the sun.