Rare Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas to Appear Closest to Earth on Saturday

Strategic Insights -

Get ready to spot a rare and bright comet as it makes its closest pass on Saturday. Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is a frozen leftover from the solar system's formation billions of years ago that will be visible through the end of October, clear skies permitting. With the comet expected to be bright enough to see with the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes will provide a better view.

Key Takeaways:

  • Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is a frozen leftover from the solar system's formation billions of years ago and will be visible through the end of October.
  • The comet will make its closest pass on Saturday, approximately 44 million miles (71 million kilometers) from Earth, and won't return for another 80,000 years.
  • Several comets are discovered every year, but many burn up near the sun or linger too far away to be visible without special equipment.
  • The comet will be visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres, and those hoping to spot it should venture outside about an hour after sunset on a clear night and look to the west.
  • Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the Bell Museum in Minnesota, described comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas as a "fuzzy circle with a long tail stretching away from it."
  • The comet was discovered last year by observatories in China and South Africa and is named for those sites.
  • Other notable flybys of comets include Neowise in 2020, and Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake in the mid to late 1990s.

Statistics:

  • Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is approximately 44 million miles (71 million kilometers) away from Earth at its closest point.
  • The comet won't return for another 80,000 years.
  • The comet will be visible between now and the end of October, clear skies permitting.
  • The best time to view the comet is about an hour after sunset on a clear night, looking to the west.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • Larry Denneau, lead researcher with the Atlas telescope
  • Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the Bell Museum in Minnesota
  • The Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group