Hyderabad: Skywatchers can spot a rare celestial visitor, which is visible from the Earth only once in 80,000 years, in the eastern sky before dawn over the next few days. It is bright enough to be spotted by the naked eye.
The celestial object, Comet C/2023 A3, also known as Comet Tsuchinshan- ATLAS, was first spotted by the Tsuchinshan Observatory in China and the ATLAS survey and made its closest approach to the Sun on September 27 and is now headed towards the Earth.
Residents in Hyderabad can catch a glimpse of this comet until October 2. After that, another viewing window will open from October 12 to October 26, when the comet will come closest to the Earth.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Upendra Pinnelli, astrophotographer and stargazer, said, “The comet is visiting the Solar System after more than 80,000 years. It is approximately 129.6 million kilometres away from Earth, and is currently located in the Sextans constellation.”
“The best time to see the comet is just before sunrise, between 4.40 am and 5.30 am. To improve the chances of spotting the comet, one can head to an open area away from city lights, with a clear view of the eastern horizon,” Pinnelli said. Anyone who cannot travel can still observe the comet from their terrace or rooftop with an unobstructed east-facing view.
Upendra has photographed the comet from a location near Nagarjunasagar, which has gathered more than 15000 likes and hundreds of shares and comments on social media groups. “For a better experience to photograph the comet, using a mobile phone camera with a long exposure mode may help capture the comet’s bright tail. Although binoculars or a telescope can enhance the view, they are not necessary for spotting it”, he said.
