At Lisboa Secreta we like to keep a close eye on the most diverse astronomical phenomena, from star showers to supermoons. We know how much the immensity of the universe attracts (almost) everyone’s attention. In recent days, much has been made of another (rather rare) event: C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), which has been dubbed the ” comet of the century”.
Having consulted some recognized media such as National Geographic and Star Walk, here are the answers to the following questions:
- What is special about this comet?
- When and how can we see it?
Why is this phenomenon so special?
For months, many people have been looking forward to the arrival of C/2023 A-3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). Several experts believe that the brightness of this comet will be more intense than most of the stars in the sky.
The comet reached its perihelion last Friday, September 27. In fact, some images have already been taken, and these are being shared, for example, in this Facebook group.
According to National Geographic, this fascinating astronomical phenomenon is particularly special because it won’t come close to Earth again for more than 80,000 years.
When and how to see the “comet of the century”?
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, it’s worth adding that the Northern Hemisphere hasn’t had the chance to see such a bright comet since 1997.
If you want to determine the location of C/2023 A3, or even follow its trajectory closely, you can do so using apps such as Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight.
On October 12, C/2023 A3 will come as close as possible to Earth and will be at a distance of 0.47 AU from our planet. It will reach its maximum brightness and will be observable even with the naked eye,” reads the Star Walk website.
What other phenomena can we expect?
To close with a bang, how about taking a look at the astronomical calendar for the coming months? In this context, according to National Geographic, these are some of the comets that may also be of interest:
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Comet 333P/LINEAR: from November 29 to December 9, but you’ll need binoculars or a small telescope to see it
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C/2024 G3 (ATLAS): January 13, 2025, its brightness is expected to be intense.
O planeta Terra vai ter uma segunda ‘minilua’ por tempo limitado