Bright new comet discovered zooming toward the sun could outshine the stars next year

[Judi Lynn]

By Stephanie Pappas published 1 day ago

The newly discovered comet C/2023 A3 is making a close approach around the sun for the first time in 80,000 years, and might be as bright as a star in fall 2024.



A green comet seen streaking through the night sky with an icy tail dragging behind it
Comet ISON seen making a close approach to the sun in 2013. A newly discovered comet, C/2023 A3, will appear far brighter in the sky if it survives the sun's rays in fall 2024. (Image credit: NASA)


A newly discovered comet may appear as bright as a star in the night sky by fall 2024.

The comet, known as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), was first noted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope project in South Africa on Feb. 22, according to the Minor Planet Center. Astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory in China also discovered the comet independently on Jan. 9, so both observatories are cited in the comet's full name. Skywatchers around the world have since observed it in new and old images, with the earliest detection found in images taken by a wide-field camera on a telescope at Palomar Observatory in California on Dec. 12, 2022.

Currently, C/2023 A3 is between Saturn and Jupiter, according to EarthSky. It's traveling at a zippy 180,610 mph (290,664 km/h) and is likely to make its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 13, 2024.

Astronomers estimate that the comet orbits the sun only once every 80,660 years. This trip around, the comet will make its closest approach to the sun — known as perihelion — on Sept. 28, 2024, according to EarthSky.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/bright-new-comet-discovered-zooming-toward-the-sun-could-outshine-the-stars-next-year

[Blues Heron]

1. 'A green comet seen streaking through the night sky with an icy tail dragging behind it '

actually the tail is streaking away from the sun, no matter what the direction the comet is going. The comet could be travelling perpendicularly to the tails orientation. It doesnt necessarily drag behind it.