Avid stargazers are in for a treat as the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet is expected to be visible in the Netherlands between October 11 and 15. Nicknamed the comet of the century, it promises to be one of the biggest stargazing events of the year.
Chinese astronomers first identified comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in January 2023 and it is said to originate from the Oort cloud of comets on the outermost edge of the solar system. Since then, the comet has tracked a path towards the sun, having reached its closest point to the star on September 27.
The comet is as ancient as the solar system itself, coming in at 4,5 billion years old. Luckily for us on Earth, we might catch a glimpse as this dirty snowball of ice and dust passes by. It is already the brightest comet seen in decades, promising to be a stunning sight as it beams in the night sky.
The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet now has a “long beautiful tail” according to Weeronline, and should be visible to the naked eye. From October 10 to 20, the comet should be visible in the sky above Dutch cities in what is being described as a “once-in-a-century event”, reported MeteoNews.
The best conditions to see this stunning comet in the Netherlands will be just after dark between October 12 and 15. While it will be at its closest and brightest as it emerges in the west just after sunset on October 11 - it should be as bright as Venus - it will quickly disappear behind the horizon. On Friday, the comet will be just to the left of the Heze star in the Virgo constellation.
As the comet is visible just above the horizon when it’s at its brightest, anyone trying to observe the shooting star should try to find somewhere without too many buildings obstructing their view, such as a Dutch national park. Stargazers should then face west and hope the weather plays along. Thanks to its brightness, comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS should be visible to the naked eye, but to see its tail more vividly, MeteoNews advises using binoculars.
The best chances of seeing the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet in the Netherlands will be within an hour after sunset, which is at around 7pm. After the peak brightness on Friday, October 11, the comet will be visible higher in the sky and for longer bouts of time, but it won’t be as bright as its trajectory takes it further from the Earth.