If the clouds part, a comet may be seen among the stars in the coming weeks. That comet, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), flies past Earth. He was discovered last year. According to astronomer Marc van der Sluys of Radboud University in Nijmegen, it is “probably the first and possibly the only time that it will pass the sun.”
The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on Saturday, at a distance of about 70 million kilometers, which is quite close by space standards. It can be easily seen with binoculars from Saturday until the end of November. It is facing southwest at the beginning of the evening. The prospects are best for the period around October 21. Then the comet can probably also be seen with the naked eye.
Another comet may come close in a few weeks. It is called C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) and was only discovered last month. If the comet manages to survive its flight past the sun at the end of October, it will be visible with the naked eye from Europe in early November.
Read more:
The Dutch role in spaceflight is becoming increasingly marginal due to a lack of investments
By: Editorial
