You can still look up and catch a glimpse of the comet of the century for a few days yet. Discovered in January 2023, comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas will be visible until October 21, 2024, just after sunset. It can be observed with thenaked eye or binoculars, towards the west-south-west horizon. We tell you all about it, and give you some tips on how to see it.
Astronomers are calling Tsuchinshan-Atlas the "comet of the century". With a nucleus between 20 and 40 kilometers in diameter, it survived its close passage to the Sun on September 27. This type of comet, visible to the naked eye, occurs only once or twice a century.
To observe the comet, look towards thewest-south-west horizon just after sunset, at around 7pm. The comet will appear low on the horizon at first, but will gradually rise over the days until October 21. Each evening, the observation window will improve, thanks in particular to earlier sunsets. To find the comet in the sky, easily seen with the naked eye, look towards the west, using the tail of the Big Dipper to find a bright star in its prolongation, called Arcturus. The comet passes to the left of Arcturus, more or less low.
It will be observable for several days, starting this Friday, October 11, 2024, and every evening until Monday, October 21, 2024. Maximum brightness is scheduled for Sunday October 13 in France. On Tuesday October 15, its dust trail will be particularly bright, forming a well-defined line, due to Earth's crossing of its orbital plane the previous day. After this date, it will begin to lose its brightness as it moves further away from the Sun, making observation more difficult without specialized equipment.
It's important to choose a site with an unobstructed view of the western horizon, such as a hill or an area without buildings or trees blocking the view. In cities, light pollution can hamper observation, so if possible, choose a location away from major light sources.
No, it's best to start observing just after sunset, at around 7.15 pm in mainland France. Don't wait until it's pitch-dark, as the comet will be most visible in twilight, slightly to the left and above the point where the Sun has set.
Clear skies are essential for a good view of the comet. Clouds may block the view. Check your local weather forecast before planning your viewing.
Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas carries primordial material from the Oort cloud, a distant region of the solar system. By observing its tail of dust and gas, scientists hope to learn more about the composition of the primordial matter that formed our solar system. This "ball of ice" potentially holds a priceless scientific treasure. It offers us a unique opportunity to understand our own composition and examine what is known as primordial matter. Using telescopes, we could scrutinize the composition of the matter escaping from the cometary nucleus, analyze the molecules in the plume and, in this way, trace back the composition of the nucleus, revealing the fundamental elements that formed the objects of the solar system.
In short, for all those curious about astronomy, we're raising our eyes to observe this exceptional comet.
