As of Friday afternoon, it has claimed the title of being the brightest comet of the last 13 years
Comet C/2023 A3 is expected to be visible in evening skies on the western horizon from around Oct. 12-20, before making its way back toward deep-space, astronomy experts say.
The “dirty snowball” could be visible to Calgarians as early as Friday evening, but the real show begins when Comet A3 makes its closest pass to the Earth on Saturday, according to Jeroen Stil, an associate astronomy professor at the University of Calgary.
“We are optimistic that it will be a nice show,” Stil said.
With C/2023 A3’s imminent arrival, Stil says he is “full of anticipation” as he makes his own preparations to see the rare space object.
Comet A3 first observed in January 2023
Comet A3 — also known as C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas — was first discovered by an observatory in China in January 2023 and later observed by Atlas South Africa in February of that year.
It has since made headlines for its potential the brightest comet of the century, but predicting the behaviour of these celestial objects is a tricky business, according to Stil.
The first sightings of comet A3 with the naked eye from Earth were reported on Sept. 23. As of Friday afternoon, it has claimed the title of being the brightest comet of the last 13 years.
Stil says the visiting celestial object comes from the Oort Cloud, a spherical shell comprised of icy space debris surrounding our solar system.
Speaking about his interest surrounding Comet A3, Stil says it is a “pristine piece of debris” left over from the formation of our solar system that has been in a “deep freeze” for most of its existence.
“That fascinates me,” he said. “Besides the beauty of the comet.”
Stil explains the comet’s trajectory toward earth was likely cause by a “subtle disturbance” in its gravitational pull from the sun.
While some comets head straight into the sun and are destroyed, most “scoot by” the sun before being launched back into deep space, Stil explains.
As the rare object makes its closest pass to Earth tomorrow, Stil offers tips for Calgarians hoping to catch a glimpse.
How to see Comet C/2023 A3
Starting Saturday, Stil advises Calgarians to look for the comet low on the western horizon at around 7 p.m., shortly after sunset.
For the best view, use binoculars, Still says.
“If you don’t see it immediately on Saturday, it’s worth checking the next couple of days,” Stil adds, noting the object will gradually move above the horizon, making it more visible despite diminishing brightness, he said.
Stil suspects people trying to see the comet on Friday will be disappointed due to limited visibility, but says there is no harm trying to catch a sneak-peak.
“Don’t give up the first time (you try),” Stil says, noting Albertans have “front row seats” to the show.
“And admission is free,” he adds.