Last Chance to See Comet A3 Before It Fades Away

Tonight is the last opportunity for stargazers to witness the bright comet Comet A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, as it disappears into the darkness. According to scientists, the comet will not revisit our planet in the next 80,000 years, making this sighting a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the comet coming within 44 million miles of Earth tonight, it will be a perfect time to see it shine at a magnitude of +2 or +1.

Key Takeaways:

Comet A3 is expected to be visible tonight, October 12, and tomorrow, October 13, as it makes its last appearance in our lifetimes, with the next return in 80,000 years.
The comet will shine at a magnitude of +2 or +1, which is a relatively bright object in the night sky.
The space rock comes from the Oort Cloud, a giant shell around our solar system, and has an estimated 44 million miles of Earth's distance at its closest point tonight.
Astronauts Matthew Dominick and Dom Pettit captured footage of the comet before it was visible to the naked eye using orbital geometry from the International Space Station.
Those hoping to spot the comet tonight are advised to get a pair of decent stargazing binoculars, as the comet may be a little dimmer than expected.
The moon's light could interfere with sightings of the comet, but the tail of dust and ice will likely be illuminated blue and white by the sun.
The long tail of the comet will make it more visible to stargazers, and astronomy apps are available for those needing detailed directions to spot the comet in the Ophiuchus constellation.

Statistics:

44 million miles: the distance from Earth to Comet A3 at its closest point tonight
Mag +2 or +1: the brightness of Comet A3, estimated by astronomers
80,000 years: the estimated time before Comet A3 returns to our solar system
2-13 October: the most likely time to spot Comet A3, according to scientists
20 October: the date by which the comet will be completely unidentifiable in the night sky

Sources:

The Sun