SPIRIT — A cosmic sight that could have been seen by humans before can now be seen! A comet from the Oort Cloud, named Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, will approach Earth in mid-October.
The presence of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a rare occurrence as this comet will not return for the next 80,000 years. The appearance of Tsuchinshan-ATLAS makes it a very special astronomical phenomenon.
Estimated to be visible in the sky in mid-October, this comet offers an amazing sight that can be seen without a telescope in several places.
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The following are interesting facts about comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS:
Coming from a distant place
This comet comes from the Oort Cloud, a region far from the edge of the solar system where many ancient comets originated.
Disappeared for a long time
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is considered best when the sun begins to set, just in the western part of the sky, before this comet disappears for a long time.
Astronomers warn that this rare moment could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, as it will not return for another 80,000 years.
The first discovery last year
This ancient comet was first discovered in 2023 and is following a long elliptical path within the solar system. After it passed the sun last month, scientists were worried that this comet would disintegrate due to extreme heat.
However, the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS managed to survive and is heading for the closest distance to Earth, which is about 70 million kilometers.
A whole comet
Bill Cooke, a NASA astronomer, explained that comets are often fragile due to the effect of the sun’s heat on water ice and volatile gases such as carbon monoxide and dioxide. However, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is still intact and is a rare sight for sky watchers.
Extinct in November for the next 80 thousand years
You can see this comet, especially if the weather is clear, in the west after sunset. But don’t miss it, because after early November, this comet will disappear and not be seen again for thousands of centuries.
