Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a potential "great comet"

[Rush]

We could be in for a real treat this fall as a potentially bright comet will approach earth. 

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/comet-c-2023-a3-tsuchinshan-atlas

[Rush]

https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2023-a3-sep-oct-2024-tsuchinshan-atlas/

 

Welp.  So much for that.

[Rush]

It seems the demise of this comet did not come to pass.  We are about a month away from show time.

https://www.universetoday.com/168058/comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-set-to-perform-this-fall/

[Rush]

Current forecast is for -4 mag which is just about as bright as Venus on October 9-12th.  The object will become visible at dusk October 12th in North America.   The only real issue is the waxing gibbous moon from the 12-16th.  After that the moon will rise well past dusk giving better viewing.  But also at that time the comet will be rapidly dimming.

 

I am thinking about taking my kids out into rural WV to dark  sky. 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2024 by Rush

[Rush]

Timelapse of the comet from Australia: 

Should be visible around dawn by the end of this week.

[Rush]

Comet is visible on the sun facing satellites.

[Rush]

I was pretty impressed with this comet last night.  Was naked eye visible from around 730-800.  I am in bortle 3/4 skies and the tail appeared to be about an index finger long in the sky when you hold your arm outstretched.  Bad timing with a nearly full moon unfortunately.  Window for taking pictures was short last night, maybe 20 minutes from when the sun was down enough to when the comet set.  I had a nearly cloudless sky last night EXCEPT for one cloud that went right in front of the comet during prime picture time.   Was only able to stack maybe 10-15 shots.  I edited the cloud out of the final result.  

@MaineJay, did you try to see it?

[MaineJay]

5 minutes ago, Rush said:

I was pretty impressed with this comet last night.  Was naked eye visible from around 730-800.  I am in bortle 3/4 skies and the tail appeared to be about an index finger long in the sky when you hold your arm outstretched.  Bad timing with a nearly full moon unfortunately.  Window for taking pictures was short last night, maybe 20 minutes from when the sun was down enough to when the comet set.  I had a nearly cloudless sky last night EXCEPT for one cloud that went right in front of the comet during prime picture time.   Was only able to stack maybe 10-15 shots.  I edited the cloud out of the final result.  

@MaineJay, did you try to see it?

Great shots!

It was cloudy and started raining in the afternoon. Tonight looks overcast as well. Hopefully I get a window tomorrow night. I work late on Tuesdays, so I'll probably just go out on my roof for the best NW view from home.  Depending on in how that goes, maybe I'll go to a better nearby location for Thursday and Friday.

[MaineJay]

Skies cleared. 

[NWOhioChaser]

Here’s my contribution from last night. Wife wanted to do some last minute shopping so I had to contend with the parking lot lights. But managed a good shot with only a three second exposure. Excited to have the camera setup in the backyard for it tonight to capture the apparent length of its tail. 

[clm]

7 hours ago, NWOhioChaser said:

Here’s my contribution from last night. Wife wanted to do some last minute shopping so I had to contend with the parking lot lights. But managed a good shot with only a three second exposure. Excited to have the camera setup in the backyard for it tonight to capture the apparent length of its tail. 

Nice shot despite the challenges.

I also see tails of 2 asteroids hitting the ground, see one making contact with a building on the left.  And in the clouds, you got 2 UFO's.  So I would say you were very lucky to capture all of that.  🤪

[Burr]

I am on a road trip with my uncle in the high desert southwest.  One pic is from Saturday out of a hotel window in Albuquerque, and the other is from tonight in Monument Valley within the Navajo Nation of Arizona.  Cloudy skies the other nights.  Both shot on iPhone with 3-second exposure.

 

Edited October 17, 2024 by Burr

[Rush]

8 hours ago, Burr said:

I am on a road trip with my uncle in the high desert southwest.  One pic is from Saturday out of a hotel window in Albuquerque, and the other is from tonight in Monument Valley within the Navajo Nation of Arizona.  Cloudy skies the other nights.  Both shot on iPhone with 3-second exposure.

 

Good timing on the trip!  Nice dark skies.

Back in 2014 they were forecasting some very bright comet and it was going to be visible the week I going to be in the African bush with bortle one skies.  Comet ended up burning up as it approached the sun.  

[Burr]

Feel very fortunate on the clouds holding off on 2 nights.  Dark skies don’t help when it’s cloudy!  Also had a near-full moon behind me last night, lighting up the butte.  Surprised at how few of the hotel guests came out to watch… just three others.

[clm]

9 hours ago, Burr said:

I am on a road trip with my uncle in the high desert southwest.  One pic is from Saturday out of a hotel window in Albuquerque, and the other is from tonight in Monument Valley within the Navajo Nation of Arizona.  Cloudy skies the other nights.  Both shot on iPhone with 3-second exposure.

 

Nice shots.  Thanks for bringing back memories.  Was at Monument Valley many moons ago.  Had I know you were going there I would have stowed away in your suitcase.

[clm]

1 hour ago, Burr said:

Feel very fortunate on the clouds holding off on 2 nights.  Dark skies don’t help when it’s cloudy!  Also had a near-full moon behind me last night, lighting up the butte.  Surprised at how few of the hotel guests came out to watch… just three others.

That is surprising.  I would have been out there.  I remember many times my parents had to drag me back inside the hotel just so I could get some sleep.  Of course they loved this stuff too but also knew when it was time to go to bed.  Not me, lol.

[Burr]

Two more pix from last night.  One taken by me on my iPhone, the other by an actual photographer on a real camera.

 

[Burr]

Last night (Saturday, Oct 20), I was it the foothills of the White Mountains in eastern Arizona, with some of the darkest skies I’ve experienced.  Comet and long tail were visible to the naked eye, along with the Milky Way!  Took many photos, and I got extremely lucky to catch some dust from Haley’s comet in the Orionid meteor shower (see the very top of the third image.)

 

Edited October 21, 2024 by Burr