It's been 80,000 years since the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS last graced our skies. Now, this celestial visitor has returned, and it's even visible to the naked eye in the western horizon.
Accuweather reports that Comet C/2023 A3, its technical name, is best observed after sunset to the west, for approximately a half-hour to an hour. Initially, the comet will appear brighter when higher in the sky, gradually dimming as it moves. According to CBS News, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS should remain visible until October 24, boasting a tail that stretches approximately 18 million miles.
The Courier-Journal notes that this is the brightest comet of the year and suggests it originated from the Oort Cloud beyond Pluto. NASA describes the Oort Cloud as a vast, icy bubble surrounding our solar system, filled with comet-like objects. This isn't the only intriguing information NASA has about comets, asteroids, and meteors; the agency explains that these cosmic travelers have remained largely unchanged since forming about 4.6 billion years ago.
Last year, a rare E3 comet made a close approach to Earth, unrelated to the video game convention.
