Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Visible Over Big Bear

BIG BEAR, Calif., Oct. 14 (KNN) — A comet discovered in 2023 and named Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) graces the Earth’s skies to the west in September and early October.

In Southern California, Comet A3 was captured by a KNN video journalist over Big Bear around 6 p.m. on Sunday. Astronomers have called A3 “the comet of the century,” which takes 80,000 years to complete an orbit around the sun.

Southern Hemisphere observers, with dark skies and good optical aid, were able to see Comet A3 put on a fantastic show in the morning sky, reported the EarthSky website.

According to EathSky, A3 will be visible low along the western horizon as soon as the sun disappears: “Every evening now, Comet A3 will appear a bit higher from the western horizon, in the hour or so after sunset. Its perihelion (closest point to the sun) was September 27. And its closest point to Earth was yesterday, October 12. So it’s now moving away from us and thereby getting fainter. And yet, in the days ahead, the comet should be easier to see than it was for its morning appearance last month. That’s because many comets are brighter after perihelion. And it’s because the comet will be farther each evening from the sun’s glare.”

EarthSky has additional information, photos and charts about the comet. Check out their website here.

Alex Gomez-Madrigal, Video Journalist / KNN