The comet is putting on a show in the sky over the weekend – see the photos

Did you know that comet C/2024 S1 ATLAS, which was discovered in September and promises an unforgettable spectacle at the end of this month? Forget it because this offer has been cancelled! Images taken from Las Cumbres Observatory in South Africa show that the ice giant has split in two and may be disintegrating. Therefore, even if part of it remains intact and resists diving into the sun, its passage at the end of October will be, at most, much more timid than previously expected. But don’t fret, because this month’s real spectacle comes from another cosmic traveler: C/2023 A3 Tuchinshan-ATLAS, which kicks off its second season of this show this weekend!

Since ancient times, comets, with their long tails and unexpected appearances, have fascinated and astonished humanity. Unable to explain the nature of these strange celestial bodies, our ancestors attributed the appearance of comets to divine harbingers of natural disasters and great transformations on Earth. Only at the end of the 17th century, Edmund Halley realized that they were celestial bodies orbiting the Sun, calculated their orbits and predicted the return of a great comet in 1758. When his predictions were confirmed, it was that comet. Named after Haley.

But the highlight of the weekend is C/2023 A3 Twhatsinshan-ATLAS, which was discovered by the Tuchinshan observatories in China and the ATLAS observatory in South Africa in January last year. There were high expectations of its ability to make an exceptionally bright soar, which ended up earning it the nickname “Comet of the Century,” but comets can always surprise us, for good or ill. Not long ago, a depressing study predicted that it was dying and unlikely to make its closest approach to the sun.

But not only did it resist, it put on a show in the early hours of the first week of October, paraded magnificently through the lenses of the Soho Solar Observatory, and is now approaching its glorification, a dazzling appearance that promises to capture the attention of astronomers. And lovers and all who love a good celestial show. Tsunshenshan-Atlas will not be the comet of the century, but it provides an extremely rare opportunity to observe one of the most beautiful phenomena the universe has to offer.

Comets are rare because they don’t come from here. These objects, composed of water ice, dust and frozen gases, formed billions of years ago in the farthest reaches of the solar system: the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune, and the Oort Cloud, a spherical region surrounding the entire planet. Solar system. Since the universe is very dynamic, some cosmic event, such as the collision or approach of a massive object, could launch some of these icy objects towards the sun.

When a comet approaches the Sun, our star’s heat begins to vaporize the ice on its surface, creating a hazy atmosphere around it, called a coma. The solar wind “pushes” the material from the coma to form the comet’s tail, which can extend for millions of kilometres.

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The brightness of a comet depends on several factors, such as its size, distance from the Sun, composition, Earth’s position relative to it, and even its structural integrity! Comets that break up as they approach the Sun can have their brightness decrease dramatically and even disappear, as was the case with comet ISON in 2013.

When astronomers noticed a decline in the brightness of Zouchenshan-Atlas in July, they thought it was fragmenting or running out of volatiles, which would lead to an early end. But the comet was surprised! He has excelled beyond expectations and proven that unpredictability is truly his most striking trait.

Over the past few days, the comet has developed a long, bright dust tail, which can be seen even with the naked eye. It overtook Venus during its alignment with the Sun, which was captured by the SOHO Observatory. Although it does not achieve the exceptional brightness initially expected, Tsuchenshan-Atlas still provides a rare observing opportunity. For those who like to contemplate the sky, this is a unique opportunity to witness an unusual phenomenon and the last time we will see this comet in our lifetime!

To observe C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, find a location with an unobstructed western horizon and away from city lights. It will be visible at dusk, in the direction of the constellation Virgo. Using an astronomy app can help pinpoint its exact location, and although it’s visible to the naked eye, binoculars will highlight the incredible details of this celestial visitor.

From now on, the comet should appear higher on the horizon each day and stay in the sky longer. However, as it will move away from Earth, it should also gradually become less bright night after night, so the best time to observe it is now!

OC/2023 A3 Tsuchenshan-Atlas will not be the “comet of the century,” but it will certainly leave its mark with an unforgettable celestial spectacle. Its surprisingly long and bright tail makes observing it a unique experience. Thanks to the knowledge accumulated over the centuries, we can enjoy the Tsuchenshan Comet Show-Atlas with the same fascination as our ancestors, but now with a much deeper scientific understanding. Comets do not portend disasters, but rather they are cosmic messages that reveal the secrets of the universe in a great and dazzling way.