A comet that won’t return for 80,000 years will be visible in the low southwestern sky this week, provided the weather cooperates.
The comet Tsuchinsnan-ATLAS was first discovered in early 2023 when it was still over 600 million miles from the sun.
Earlier this month, it was visible in the early morning with the best view from the southern hemisphere. But as Director of Eastern Michigan University’s Sherzer Observatory, Norbert Vance says, now it’s our turn.
“We get to see it delightfully in the low southwestern sky after sunset, deep twilight. It’ll pop out and be a naked eye comet for the next week or two.”
At first, the comet will be about ten degrees above the horizon or the height of a fist at arms-length. But as days go by, it will move higher in the sky but lose its brightness.
The EMU Astronomy Club will be hosting a viewing event on the roof of Sherzer Wednesday beginning around 7 PM.
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