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A family looks in awe at the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet, the C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet, the … (+)
Anadolu via Getty Images
Is the comet still visible? Yes, but only if you use binoculars and wait a few hours after sunset. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS – also called Comet A3 and C/2023 A3 – is no longer a naked-eye object, but is visible this week in a dark, moonless night sky.
That makes it possible to see it together with the Milky Way, which is just visible in the west after sunset if you’re at a destination with dark skies. The comet is located in the constellation Ophiuchus, close to the famous three bright stars of the famous ‘Summer Triangle’ asterism, through which the Milky Way currently flows towards the horizon.
If you’re lucky, the peak in solar activity this week will also translate to the Northern Lights at lower latitudes, providing a potentially rare double act of cosmic imagery.
Where is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?
The comet is now 151 million kilometers from Earth and shines with a magnitude of +4.3 in the constellation Ophiuchus. He’s getting weaker and smaller every night now.
You can get a good view with binoculars or a small telescope. Another way to see it is by photograph the comet with a camera or a smartphonewith a long exposure image of a few seconds showing this more easily.
Please note: Times and viewing instructions are for mid-latitude observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Check the exact time of sunset where you are and the comet set times are on Stellarium web for times accurate to your exact location.
Where is the comet tonight? The position of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (also called comet A3 and C/2023 … (+)
Stellarium
How to locate Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: Friday, November 1
Position: west, 56 degrees from the sun in Ophiuchus
Time: from 60 minutes afterwards sunset where you are until approximately 10:30 p.m. local time
Magnitude: +4.3
Distance from the comet to the Sun: 88 million miles (141 million kilometers)
Comet’s distance from Earth: 94 million miles (151 million kilometers)
How to find the comet using Venus
If you look southwest about an hour after sunset, you’ll likely see the bright planet Venus. That’s your guide to the comet.
Above Venus, look at the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra. Look halfway between Venus and Vega and you should find the comet, but probably only if you use binoculars.
How to find the comet tonight: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (also called comet A3 and C/2023 A3) can … (+)
Stellarium
How to find the comet using the summer triangle
Since Venus will sink shortly after sunset – or you may be dealing with horizon clouds or mountains – you can also use the stars of the Summer Triangle, of which Vega is one. Find the other two that make up the famous asterism: Deneb in Cygnus, above Vega, and Altair in Aquila, on the left.
Now create a rough triangle between Altair and Vega by pointing towards the horizon. The third point is approximately where the comet will be. You’ll need binoculars to see it, as well as a dark, clear sky.
What is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?
It is a long-period comet from the Oort cloud, a sphere around the solar system where millions of comets occur. Astronomers think it orbits the sun once every 80,000 years. The coma is about 209,000 kilometers in diameter and the tail extends about 29 million kilometers into space.
Check my feed for a daily ‘comet tracker’, with useful sky maps and tips for viewing the comet.
I wish you clear skies and big eyes.