Bright, Near-Earth Comet Coming in October

– The arrival of the particularly bright comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas, which took its name from the two telescopes that spotted it for the first time at the beginning of 2023, is expected: on September 27, its close encounter with the Sun will take place at about 60 million kilometers, practically the same distance as Mercury is from our star. But the real show should begin at the beginning of October, when the comet will approach the Earth: its peak brightness, which could surpass that of many stars and reach that of the planet Venus, is expected for the 9th of the month and in the following days the visibility conditions should also improve.
“The enthusiasm for this celestial body was almost immediate,” comments astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project, which will show the passage of the comet live on several occasions: the first appointment is set for October 9, at 6:45 p.m., on the Virtual Telescope website. “In early October, in fact, its almost exact position on the Earth-Sun line could make it particularly bright, thanks to the physical effect known as ‘forward scattering’: in practice – says Masi – the dust present in the comet reflects the sunlight forward, therefore if a comet transits between us and the Sun its brightness can be increased by tens, hundreds or thousands of times.”
This will be the case of the comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas, which has been visible in the sky for about ten days, especially from the southern hemisphere. Observation conditions will not be ideal, however: the comet will be visible only at twilight and very low on the horizon. “What we will see – underlines Masi – will depend greatly on the behavior of the comet”. On October 12, the close passage with the Earth will occur, at about 71 million kilometers, and from that moment on its position in the sky will be more favorable, although its brightness will have already reduced. (ANSA).