'Comet of the Year' Tsuchinshan-ATLAS to turn brightest this October
The comet named Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) is reportedly growing brighter and developing a tail. This follows recent celestial events such as a total solar eclipse as well as intense solar superstorms. Currently, the comet is located in the constellation Virgo, traveling between Mars and Jupiter. It's predicted to become visible to the naked eye later this year, but for now, it can only be observed with large telescopes.
Discovery and origin of the comet
Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) was discovered in early 2023. It was seen by two separate astronomical surveys - the Tsuchinshan (Purple Mountain Observatory) in China, and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa. With an orbit of over 80,000 years, this long-period comet owes its origin to the Oort Cloud, a distant region of our solar system, tipped to be a vast shell of icy objects.
Tsuchinshan-ATLAS expected to brighten October sky
The comet is likely to significantly brighten in October, potentially becoming as luminous as the planet Venus in the night sky. This might make it the "comet of the year" or even the century. As it approaches perihelion, and gets closer to the Sun on October 10, 2024, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may become one of the brightest comets in recent years. Following this date, it will be most visible in the northern hemisphere from the southwest just after sunset.
Tip for skywatchers
Skywatchers should, however, keep one thing in mind. Even at its brightest, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will appear low on the horizon. Getting obscured by haze in the northern hemisphere is also a possibility.
