How To See Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS  | NASA Explains - video Dailymotion

How to see Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS | NASA explains

Transcript

00:00October offers a chance to observe what could be the brightest comet of the year.

00:05Earlier this year we got a look at Comet 12P, which was visible with binoculars but not super bright.

00:11Now another of these ancient and icy dust balls is streaking through our neighborhood on an

00:1680,000 year orbit from the distant reaches of the Oort cloud. The comet, known as C2023A3,

00:23aka Suchanshan Atlas, is currently speeding through the inner solar system. It passed its

00:28closest to the Sun in late September and will be at its closest to Earth on October 13th,

00:33and after that time through the end of the month will be the best time to look for it.

00:37This is when the comet will become visible low in the western sky beginning during twilight.

00:43It will quickly rise higher each subsequent evening, making it easier to observe,

00:47but it'll also be getting a little fainter each night. As with all comets, predictions for how

00:52bright it could get are uncertain. If the comet's tail is brilliantly illuminated by the Sun,

00:58predictions show that it could become bright enough to see with the unaided eye.

01:02But comets have a way of surprising us, so we'll just have to wait and see.

01:07Your best shot at seeing it will be from around October 14th through the 24th,

01:11with binoculars or a small telescope and a reasonably clear view toward the west.

01:16So good luck and clear skies, comet hunters!