‘Comet of the century’ that was last viewed by neanderthals could be seen tonight
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Tonight, a comet that hasn't been seen since the time of the Neanderthals many millennia ago will make an appearance, and astronomers are dubbing it the "comet of the century."
Researchers have announced that Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), which was last seen from Earth during the time of the Neanderthals around 80,000 years ago, may be observable without a telescope from our planet this weekend.
Initially detected in January 2023, it has been referred to as "the comet of the century" due to its remarkable brightness and visibility, as noted by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).
Observers in the southern hemisphere have already spotted Comet A3, and it is now visible in the northern hemisphere as well, according to the society.
From October 12 to October 30, individuals might catch a glimpse of the comet with binoculars, or even see it without any equipment as it moves nearer to the Sun.
You should be able to see it from two different time frames, depending on the weather and light pollution levels. The first opportunity to catch a glimpse will be from September 27 to October 2, when the comet will rise in the east just before dawn. Then, from October 12 to October 30, it will be visible in the west shortly after sunset.
It's uncertain how bright the comet will get as it nears Earth, with its closest point occurring this weekend. NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick described the comet as appearing like a "blurry star" when seen from the International Space Station.
He posted on X that "This comet will create some amazing visuals as it approaches the Sun," and included a timelapse of the celestial object.
In a video featured on the organization's website, Dr. Robert Massey, the deputy director, mentioned that capturing images of the comet could be feasible, especially if using a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera.
The Royal Astronomical Society states that the comet originates from the Oort Cloud, which is a massive, spherical region that encircles our solar system and is filled with billions of objects, such as comets.
