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Citizens next to a decaying, unusable boat observe the Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, the C/2023 A3 ...
[+] Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet, the brightest comet of the last 13 years in Van, Turkiye on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images) Is the comet still visible? Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is no longer a naked-eye object, but if you have binoculars or a small telescope, it’s still worth finding. This long-period comet from the Oort Cloud — a sphere around the solar system home to millions of comets — astronomers think it loops around the sun once every 80,000 years.
Also known as comet A3 and C/2023 A3, this snowball from the depths of the solar system has a central coma 130,000 miles (209,000 kilometers) in diameter. It also has a trademark tail extending 18 million miles (29 million kilometers). Although its magnitude of +3.
4 makes it technically visible to the naked eye, this comet is rapidly getting fainter and smaller as it returns to the Oort Cloud. Tonight it will be 79 million miles (127 million kilometers) from the sun and 78 million miles (125 million kilometers) from Earth. However, if you know when and where to look, it can still be found in the constellation Ophiuchus.
As a bonus, it’s now visible in a dark sky, with last week’s supermoon no longer bleaching the night sky. Here’s how to photograph the comet with a camera or a smartphone . Note: times and viewing instructions are for observers at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.
Check the exact time of sunset where you are and the comet’s setting times on Stellarium Web for times that are accurate for your exact location. Apple iPhone SE Leak Reveals New Release Details iPhone 17 Pro Max Design Upgrade: New Look Predicted In Latest Leak Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Tied In Yet Another New Poll, As Race Narrows Weeks Before Election Day Where to find comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS tonight, Sunday, October 27, 2024.
How To Locate Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: Sunday, Oct. 27 Position: west, 54 degrees from the sun in Ophiuchus Time: from 60 minutes after sunset where you are until about 22:15 local time Magnitude: +3.4 Comet’s distance from the sun: 79 million miles (127 million kilometers) Comet’s distance from Earth: 78 million miles (125 million kilometers) So far, the guiding lights to find the comet have been the bright planet Venus and the bright red star Arcturus.
However, as October draws to a close, both are so close to the horizon an hour after sunset that they're unlikely to be visible. So, instead, use the stars of the Summer Triangle to find the comet. Vega in the constellation Lyra should be easy enough to find above due west and, above it, Deneb in Cygnus.
How To Find The Comet Using The Summer Triangle Look to the left of both, and you'll see Altair in Aquila. Make a rough triangle between Altair and Vega pointing down to the horizon — the third point is roughly where the comet will be. You'll need binoculars to see it — as well as a dark, clear sky.
Where to find comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS tonight, Sunday, October 27, 2024. How To Find The Comet Using Vega Draw an imaginary line straight to the horizon from Vega and make a coat-hangar shape on the left — the comet will be the hook to the side. Scan with a pair of binoculars until you find it.
Check my feed every day this week and next for a daily “comet tracker” with sky charts and tips for viewing the comet. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes..
