If conditions are right, we’ll have a ‘first row’ seat for celestial spectacle, astronomer says
Local astronomers have been eagerly waiting to see if the highly anticipated Comet C/2023 A3 will survive its closest brush with the sun this week.
The comet — which was projected to reach its closest point to the sun as early as noon Friday — was still in formation late Friday afternoon, meaning Calgarians can likely expect to see the rare object in evening skies in the coming weeks, according to Jeroen Stil, associate astronomy professor at the University of Calgary.
Comet C/2023 A3 was first discovered by an observatory in China in January 2023 and later observed by ATLAS South Africa in February of that year.
There has been a lot of hype around the comet, but headlines dubbing it the “comet of the century” might be overhype, according to Stil.
Images and video of the celestial body from across the Southern Hemisphere have been flooding the internet, but the comet will not be visible in Northern Hemisphere skies until around Oct. 12, Stil said.
While the comet remained intact Friday afternoon, Stil said it might take a few days for him to breathe a sigh of relief as comets are fragile and highly unpredictable.
“If you grab a handful of fresh snow, (comets) can be as fluffy as that,” Stil said. “So you can imagine when the (comet) comes closest to the sun, it’s the first time it might actually fall apart.”
In 2013, Comet ISON raised similar anticipation as Comet A3, but disintegrated after coming close to the sun.
Stil says many in the astronomy community fear the same thing could happen with A3.
“We have to hold our breath that it stays in one piece until it’s visible in the Northern Hemisphere,” Stil said.
“We know that this comet comes from very far away, and this might be its first passage ever in the inner solar system,” he said.
“Such comets are very unpredictable.”
Where to watch celestial event
If the comet does remain intact as it reaches the Northern Hemisphere, Calgarians can catch a glimpse of it from around Oct. 12 to 20, making it “a Thanksgiving comet,” Stil said.
Stil urges people not to look for the comet in the daytime, as it would require looking directly into the sun, which could cause serious damage to eyes.
“The critical time is around Sept. 28 when it comes closest (to the sun),” Stil said, noting some projections put that point as early as Friday afternoon. “If it passes that point, I think we have a good chance (of seeing) the comet appear in our skies.”
Stil recommends people use binoculars to get a better view.
With the comet reaching its closest point to Earth on Oct. 12, Stil says viewers in the Northern Hemisphere will have “the best seats to see the show.”
“We are basically in the first row.”