Bright Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS to Be Visible to the Naked Eye This Weekend

In late September and mid-October, the highly anticipated comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) will be visible to the naked eye to skywatchers around the world.

Astronomers are hoping to see comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) before sunrise on four consecutive mornings this weekend and early next week. There may be some more naked-eye opportunities in mid-October.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will appear in the pre-dawn sky starting this weekend (Photo: Wladimir Bulgar / Science Photo Library).

Comet C/2023 A3 is expected to reach its peak brightness on Friday, September 27 , when it reaches perihelion, its closest point to the sun in its estimated 80,000-year orbit. Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to see the comet a few degrees above the southeastern horizon about 30 minutes before sunrise between Friday, September 27 and Wednesday, October 2.

The ideal mornings to view this comet are Sunday, September 29 and Monday, September 30, when comet C/2023 A3 is in conjunction with the waning crescent moon.

Although C/2023 A3 can be seen with the naked eye, the comet can be very erratic and unpredictable, so you should use good stargazing binoculars or a small telescope for a better view.

Whether you see the comet with the naked eye or binoculars, you may also see a large dust tail, the result of the dust and ice components of the comet melting slightly as it approaches the sun. Its brightness remains a mystery, although some astronomers predict it could be as bright as the 20 brightest stars in the night sky.

Comet C/2023 A3 will disappear in the morning light for those in mid-northern latitudes on September 30, but anyone near the equator will still be able to see C/2023 A3 until October 2. After that, the comet will be lost in the glare of the sun as it makes its closest approach to Earth. It will then be near the western horizon.