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An ancient comet – known as C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas – was discovered in 2023 as it approached the inner Solar System on its highly elliptical orbit for the first time in documented human history – most recently Earth. Has reached closest to.
In the first week of October 2024, stargazers in India not only witnessed a rare astronomical sight of comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-Atlas) – which occurred around 80,000 years ago, but also shared photos of one of the rarest natural phenomena in the sky. ,
According to astronomical experts, this rare astronomical sight started appearing in the first week of October and became visible low in the west after sunset. Experts said that if the comet’s tail is well illuminated by sunlight, it can be seen even with the unaided eye. October 14-24 is the best time to observe using binoculars or a small telescope.
how can i see it
The comet will initially be visible low on the western horizon in twilight glow about 45 minutes after sunset each day from Saturday, October 12 until the end of the month. The comet can be seen without special equipment but the best view will be through a pair of binoculars.
If you miss it, you won’t be able to see it again. After the end of the month, the comet is not expected to return again for 80,000 years, according to NASA.
Here are some photos of the rarest celestial spectacle shared by Indian astronomers:
Hanle, Ladakh (cosmic_trails and 5 others,
On the morning of 1 October the Astrophotography Masterclass team traveled to Gongma La (4880 m above sea level) to capture the comet. The conditions at Hanle were not ideal to shoot this comet as it was far below Hanle’s northern latitude but due to the wonderful sky and high altitude it was clearly visible to the naked eye. The comet was very low in the sky from our location and as it was rising the sky was becoming very bright due to twilight.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Kirti Kiran M, astrophotographer and member of the Bangalore Astronomical Society (BAS), captured the comet in all its glory. He wrote, “I clicked this picture in the heart of Bengaluru. In the next few days, if the sky is clear, you will be able to see it between 5 am and 5:45 am. This is a stacked image that shows the comet’s beautiful long tail.
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
Astrophotographer Satya Narayanan Sridhar captured a stunning photo of the comet and shared it on his Instagram.
“With continued favorable weather conditions, we planned a trip to capture the comet before we lost it in twilight in the coming days. This was a place we often visited – near Mahabalipuram,” and ”…when twilight came, the eastern horizon gave way and the comet peeped out from behind the curtain of clouds hanging close to the sea. We can see the tail and coma very easily with the naked eye. An incredibly long tail – in fact I had to reduce the focal length to 24mm to capture it in its entirety!
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