The Brightest Comet Of The Year Will Be Visible Over NYC Skies This October
It’s a busy month for Earth–not only does it have two moons orbiting it for the next few weeks, but a blazing comet, the brightest one of the year, is set to zip on by this October! And you won’t want to miss it as it won’t return for another 800 centuries!
Here’s everything you need to know:
What is the brightest comet in 2024?
The year’s brightest comet will be Tsuchinshan-ATLAS aka Comet C/2023 A3.
When was Comet C/2023 A3 first discovered?
Space.com writes that Tsuchinshan–ATLAS was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa on February 22, 2023. Though originally thought to be an asteroid, it was found to be the same object photographed six weeks earlier by the Purple Mountain Observatory (Tsuchinshan) in the east of Nanjing, China, and has since been determined to be a comet.
When will Comet C/2023 A3 be closest to earth?
This weekend, on Saturday, October 12th, the comet will reach its closest point to earth, passing just 44 million miles away.
Will Comet C/2023 be visible to the naked eye?
Space.com notes that the comet might brighten to second or possibly even first magnitude, developing a notable tail visible to the naked eye.
Will Comet C/2023 be visible in NYC?
When Tsuchinshan-ATLAS reaches its closest distance to Earth this Saturday, it will be easily visible from the five boroughs so long as it doesn’t break apart.
NASA astronomer Bill Cooke suggests choosing a dark vantage point just after full nightfall and looking to the southwest, roughly 10º above the horizon. Tsuchinshan-ATLAS should be visible between the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpio. By October 14th, the comet may remain visible at the midway point between the bright star Arcturus and the planet Venus.
Where can I find the best view?
Like most celestial events, you’ll need a clear, cloudless sky and a dark place for the best chance to view the comet. We suggest heading to one of NYC’s many parks or beaches.
Am I guaranteed to see the comet?
Unfortunately, no. Comet C/2023 comes directly from the Oort cloud, a “spherical shell of icy space debris scientists theorize to be situated far beyond the outer limits of the solar system and thought to contain billions or even trillions of comets.” Comets originating from the Oort cloud usually end up being duds or underperforming, so there are no guarantees you’ll see it.
However, the comet did successfully closely soar past the sun on September 27th, withstanding the sun’s intense heat and surviving more or less intact, so there is a reason to remain optimistic!
Though legendary comet expert Dr. Fred Whipple perhaps stated, “If you must bet, bet on a horse, not a comet!”
Will Comet C/2023 ever return?
According to NASA, the comet will return, however not in our lifetime–it won’t be back for another 80,000 years.
The post The Brightest Comet Of The Year Will Be Visible Over NYC Skies This October appeared first on Secret NYC.