COMETS AND ASTEROIDS

We're waiting to see what comet C/2023 A3 does next

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS is causing a bit of a stir because it has the potential to be visible to the naked eye, from the UK at least, from mid-October when it re-emerges from the Sun's glare into the evening sky. With a nucleus 20–40km across, C/2023 A3 is interesting because it's an Oort cloud comet that will reach perihelion on 27 September, when it swings past the Sun at a distance of 58.6 million kilometres. Perihelion also takes place with the comet moving between us and the Sun, giving rise to some difficult viewing conditions through September and early October. Minimum distance from Earth is achieved on 12 October, at 70.6 million kilometres. After solar conjunction on 9 October, when C/2023 A3 will be just 3.5° from the Sun,…

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BBC Sky at Night United Kingdom (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2024

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