‘Comet of the century’ to dazzle UK for final time in 80,000 years – see
UK stargazers will have their final chance to witness the “comet of the century” with the naked eye tonight.
The Comet A3, also dubbed Tsuchinshan-Atlas, has been cruising towards Earth from the solar system’s outer limits and has lit up recent UK night skies.
It’s set to shine its brightest this evening before gradually dimming over the week.
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The celestial body is expected to be visible without any gadgets, although binoculars or telescopes will enhance the spectacle. However, typical British weather might throw a spanner in the works, with cloudy conditions predicted in some regions tonight.
(Image: Getty Images)
Dubbed “the comet of the century” by the Royal Astronomical Society for its potential luminosity, Dr Greg Brown from the Royal Observatory Greenwich advises comet chasers to look west after sunset.
He said: “Low on the horizon at sunset, it is best to wait a while for the sky to darken a bit before trying to see it. Look to the west, just to the left of where the sunset was and, if you are lucky, it should be just about visible to the unaided eye.”
Astronomy enthusiasts, get your binoculars and telescopes ready because as the days go by, our bright celestial visitor is becoming less visible. You’ll have a fighting chance to spot it across the UK with a clear, low western horizon and ideally away from city lights, reports the Mirror.
However, as it is rapidly fading as the days go on, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will certainly help if you are struggling to find it. It is visible across the country, though a low western horizon is a must, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be out in the countryside where light pollution is less of a problem.
The comet’s discovery was just last year, and now it graces our skies for the first time in 80,000 years back when Neanderthals roamed the Earth. Originating from the distant Oort Cloud far past Pluto, the comet flares up as it comes closer to the sun, showing off its iconic tail.
Between October 12 and 30, stargazers might catch a glimpse of the comet with binoculars, but until tonight, October 15, some lucky observers could see it without any aid during the twilight window between 6pm and 6:30pm weather permitting.
Comets are ancient cosmic icebergs dating back to the early solar system, awakening and shedding their tails when they dance towards the sun. This year, a green comet not seen since the time of the woolly mammoths made a return flyby.
It joins the ranks of other recent spectacular cometary visits such as Neowise in 2020, and the memorable Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake comets of the ’90s.
