A "once-in-a-lifetime" comet, which is also the brightest in 13 years, will be visible in UK skies during October. Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was first discovered early last year by ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) and the Purple Mountain Observatory in China. Now, nearly two years later, the comet is set to orbit close enough to the earth that it will be visible to the naked eye.
It may become so bright, you will even be able to see it during the day. Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is Now the Brightest Comet in 13 Years! This incredible comet has overtaken NEOWISE from 2020 in brightness, with current estimates of 0.4 magnitude! The tail is stretching a whopping 15 degrees across the sky—that's equal to the width of 30.
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twitter.com/pyLNTYm8zh — Star Walk (@StarWalk) October 5, 2024 Star Walk, explaining the rare comet, said: "The tail is stretching a whopping 15 degrees across the sky—that's equal to the width of 30 Full Moons! "The forward scattering effect on the comet's dust is kicking in, which is expected to boost its brightness even more in the coming 2-3 weeks." When to see Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in UK skies The best time to see Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in the UK and across the Northern Hemisphere will be between October 12 and 30, according to Star Walk .
The best visibility will come "just after sunset". The comet is set to reach a magnitude of -5 by October 9, which could make it bright enough for daytime obs.