In a historical celestial event, a rare comet is expected to be visible from Earth after a period of 80,000 years!
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is also called Comet A3, will appear during two separate time periods in the upcoming month.
As per earth.com, the comet will mark a huge and rare return to our skies, and will be visible as a “faint, star-like smudge trailed by a hazy tail, should be visible just before dawn on four consecutive mornings,” which began from Friday, September 27 and is known to continue its visibility until shortly before sunrise on October 2, 2024.
"C/2023 A3 has an orbital period of approximately 80,000 years, classifying it as a long-period comet. This means its behavior and appearance can be unpredictable, with potential changes in brightness and tail development as it approaches the sun," said Minjae Kim.
Kim works as a space expert in the astronomy department in the University of Warwick, England.
She further added about the rare sight, "If predictions hold, it could be visible to the naked eye, appearing as a fuzzy star with a tail stretching across the sky. Otherwise, binoculars or a small telescope may reveal more detail in the comet’s structure and tail.”
As per the experts, one more chance to witness this rare view might be available in mid-October if the comet survives the trip around the sun, as it usually breaks apart when gets close to the sun.
If it manages to survive this trip, chances are that the comet A3 will be so close to the Earth that it will be visible even to the naked eyes.
This might occur between October 12 and October 20. The comet will move higher in the sky each night until it disappears for the next 80,000 years.
