Comet puts on a show in the skies over the weekend – see images

by Clare Dominic
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Comet puts on a show in the skies over the
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Comet puts on a show in the skies over the weekend – see images
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Do you know that comet C/2024 S1 ATLAS, discovered in September and which promised an unforgettable spectacle at the end of this month? Forget him because this show was cancelled! Images captured from the Las Cumbres Observatory in South Africa show that the icy giant has split in two and may be disintegrating. Therefore, even if a piece of it remains cohesive and resists its dive into the Sun, its passage at the end of October will be, at most, much more timid than previously expected. But don't be sad, because this month's real spectacle comes from another cosmic traveler: the C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, whose second season of this show started this weekend!

(Nucleus of Comet C/2024 S1 possibly split into two parts – Credits: Rolando Ligustri)

Since ancient times, comets, with their long tails and unexpected appearances, have fascinated and intrigued humanity. Unable to explain the nature of these exotic celestial objects, our ancestors attributed the appearance of comets to divine harbingers of natural catastrophes and great transformations on Earth. It was only at the end of the 17th century that Edmond Halley understood that they were celestial bodies orbiting the Sun. He calculated the orbit and predicted the return of a great comet in the year 1758. And when his prediction was confirmed, that comet was named after Halley. .

But the highlight of the weekend is C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, discovered in January last year by the Tsuchinshan observatories, in China, and ATLAS, in South Africa. There was great expectation that it could achieve an exceptionally bright high, which ended up earning him the nickname “Comet of the Century”, but comets can always surprise us, both for good and for bad. And not long ago, a discouraging study speculated that it was dying and unlikely to reach its closest approach to the Sun.

But it not only resisted, it put on a show in the early hours of the first week of October, paraded gloriously through the lenses of the SOHO Solar Observatory and is now approaching its apotheosis, a dazzling reappearance that promises to attract the attention of astronomers, aficionados and all those who They like a good celestial show. Tsunchinshan-ATLAS will not be the Comet of the Century, but it offers a very rare opportunity to observe one of the most beautiful phenomena that the Universe can offer us.

(“Comet of the Century” Tsuchinshan-ATLAS recorded on September 26th in Bahia – Credits: Alexsandro Mota)

Comets are rare because they don't come from here. These objects, composed of water ice, dust and frozen gases, formed billions of years ago in the most distant regions of the Solar System: the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune, and the Oort Cloud, a spherical region that surrounds the entire the Solar System. And as the Universe is extremely dynamic, some cosmic accident, such as an impact or the approach of a massive body, could launch some of these icy bodies towards the Sun.

When a comet approaches the Sun, the heat from our star begins to vaporize the ice on its surface, creating a hazy atmosphere around it, called a coma. The solar winds “blow” the material from the coma, forming the comet's tail, which can extend for millions of kilometers.

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The brightness of a comet depends on several factors, such as its size, its distance from the Sun, its composition, the Earth's position in relation to it and even its structural integrity! Comets that fragment as they approach the Sun can have their brightness drastically reduced and even disappear, as was the case with comet ISON in 2013.

When astronomers noticed a reduction in Tsuchinshan-ATLAS's brightness in July, they thought it was fragmenting or running out of volatile material, which would lead to an early end. But the comet surprised! He has shined above expectations and demonstrated that unpredictability is truly his most striking characteristic.

Over the past few days, the comet has developed a long, bright dust tail, visible even to the naked eye. It outshone the planet Venus during its alignment with the Sun, captured by the SOHO observatory. Although it does not achieve the exceptional brightness initially expected, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still offers a rare observation opportunity. For those who like to contemplate the sky, this is a unique chance to witness an extraordinary phenomenon and the last time we will see this comet in our lives!

(Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS passing through the field of view of the LASCO C3 telescope, at the SOHO Solar Observatory – Credits: NASA / SOHO / LASCO)

To observe C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, look for a location with an unobstructed western horizon and away from city lights. It will be visible at dusk, in the direction of the Constellation of Virgo. Using an astronomy app can help pinpoint its exact position, and although it is visible to the naked eye, binoculars will highlight the incredible details of this celestial visitor.

From now on, the comet should appear higher on the horizon every day and remain in the sky for longer. However, as it will be moving away from Earth, its brightness should also gradually reduce night after night, so the best time to observe is now!

(Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS recorded on September 30th in Namibia – Credits: Gerald Rhemann / Michael Jaeger)

OC/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will not be the “Comet of the Century” but it will certainly leave its mark with a memorable celestial spectacle. Its long and surprisingly bright tail makes its observation a unique experience. And thanks to the knowledge accumulated over the centuries, we can enjoy “The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Comet Show” with the same fascination as our ancestors, but now with a much deeper scientific understanding. Comets do not herald catastrophes, but are like cosmic messages that reveal the secrets of the Universe in a grand and dazzling way.

Comet puts on a show in the skies over the weekend – see images

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Comet puts on a show in the skies over the weekend – see images

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