In the southern hemisphere it is already an eye-catcher, in our case it will be one from October 12: according to experts, the comet ‘Tsuchinshan-Atlas’ (catalog name: C/2023 A3) has so far ‘adhered exactly to the rules’ ‘. the predicted brightness model”.
According to the Vienna Working Group for Astronomy (WAA) and comet expert Michael Jäger, the characteristic tail is developing extremely promisingly. Jäger, chairman of the Martinsberg Astronomical Center in Lower Austria, photographed the ‘striking phenomenon’ in Namibia.
“It will be nice to see in the evening”
For WAA boss Alexander Pikhard, the comet Tsuchinshan Atlas, which was first observed by the telescope systems in China and South Africa in early 2023, “does what it promises”.
In addition to photos from southern Africa, for example, impressive images from Australia and New Zealand are also circulating. The WAA is therefore “confident that it will also be visible here for a few days in the evenings from October 12”.
Comet emerges from the Oort cloud
The celestial body is one of the non-periodic comets, which usually only reach Earth again after a very long time. The chunk comes from the Oort cloud, a spherical collection of objects at the far edge of our solar system. According to expert estimates, the comet “Neowise” (C/2020 F3) was last as bright as Tsuchinshan Atlas in the summer of 2020.
It is difficult to predict how bright such a celestial body actually becomes when it passes the sun. Everything depends on the matter emitted in the form of gas and dust due to the heating by the sun. So far, however, the comet has “exactly adhered to the predicted brightness model,” says Pikhard.
Visible to the naked eye in the west
The question remains where to look from October 12 through the end of the month. Assuming the weather is clear, you should look west at dusk, according to the WAA: For the first few days, the Tsuchinshan Atlas should be visible even to the naked eye, “although not as clearly as for a few days on the southern heaven. past . Binoculars are always recommended and will help you find the comet at dusk,” Pikhard explains.
From next Saturday, Martinsberg in Lower Austria invites people to watch together again and again, weather permitting. The WAA also organizes observation evenings on the Vienna Sophienalpe in Vienna-Penzing, weather conditions permitting.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
