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A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Comet of the Century
By Harry Sinclair •
Updated: 06 Aug 2024 • 23:49 • 1 minute read
Witness a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity coming to Spain as a comet flies overhead.
Comet C/2023 A3 or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
Get out your binoculars, set up your telescope, or just sit under the stars ready for this astronomical event that is around the corner.
Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or Comet C/2023 A3 was discovered in early 2023 making its way towards Earth, and promises a magical display.
The Comet of the Century
Known as the “Comet of the Century” in the astrological community, this cosmic visitor is predicted to be visible from Spain with the naked eye.
Discovered on January 9, 2023, by astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Since its discovery, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has captivated the science community and now offers a rare moment for stargazers.
With its unique trajectory, originating from the Oort cloud, a distant region of our solar system, this comet has been heading towards the sun, and now toward Earth.
One-time opportunity to spot it
This comet will be a one-time visitor, unlike others such as Diablo or Halley’s comet which return regularly, so make sure not to miss it before it goes.
As it hurls closer to Earth, it will reach its perihelion, the closest point to Earth, on September 27.
However, the moment to mark in your calendar is October 12, when the comet will be the closest to Spain and you can simply look up into the night sky and see the wonder cross the stars.
Why this comet is so important
The reason for this comet s importance is two-fold.
First, this will most likely be the only opportunity to see the comet in person, as it is not periodical like previous comets, such as Halley s comet.
Secondly, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is expected to be incredibly bright, which is why it will be very visible to the naked eye, a rare moment for most people who don t own a telescope.
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Originally from the UK, Harry Sinclair is a journalist and freelance writer based in Almeria covering local stories and international news, with a keen interest in arts and culture. If you have a news story please feel free to get in touch at [email protected].
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