Astronomer reveals best time to see super rare comet before it disappears for another 80,000 years
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Hu Zhichao/VCG via Getty Images/Manuel Romano/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Don’t just sit and watch TV tonight. There’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the ‘comet of the century’ before it vanishes for 80,000 years instead.
But you need to be quick about it as you’ll only have one chance before it’s gone and won’t be seen again for generation upon generation.
It’s the Comet A3, which has been visible from the skies for the past few nights, and tonight is the last night it’ll be seen.
But there’s bad news, folks. You need to make sure you’re primed for the best time and location to catch a glimpse of it.
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An astronomer has come out to share with you exactly how you can spot it in the UK, and the timeframe you need to be prepared for.
As it turns out, you need to make sure you’re not in an area that’s massively overcast and cloudy (for obvious reasons).
Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, told The Sun: “Low on the horizon at sunset, it is best to wait a while for the sky to darken a bit before trying to see it.
“Look to the west, just to the left of where the sunset was and, if you are lucky, it should be just about visible to the unaided eye.
“However, as it is rapidly fading as the days go on, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will certainly help if you are struggling to find it.
“It is visible across the country, though a low western horizon is a must, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be out in the countryside where light pollution is less of a problem.”
According to the experts, the best time to see the comet will be at sunset between 6pm and 6.30pm, so you’d better get a move on.
From today, you’ll also notice that the brightness with start to dim.
Comet C/2023 A3, or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was visible not too long ago on Earth between 27 September and 2 October.
But it vanished from the sight of those living on the northern or southern hemisphere when it travelled too close to the Sun.
It reached its closest distance to us on 12 and 13 October, which was around 44 million miles away.
The comet hails from the Oort Cloud, which circles around our solar system and has millions of comets and debris trapped within it.
NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick and Don Pettit used orbital geometry to spot it well before anyone else at the International Space Station, and managed to catch it on camera.
But for us, you need to look west and close to the horizon to see it.
To get the best view, you’ll need to be in a space that’s free of distraction and buildings in your way.
While it could be bright enough to see without an aid, it’s best to use binoculars or a telescope to catch it properly.
If you miss it, there’s always another display in 80,000 years for someone else to catch.