Keystone-SDA
This content was published on
10. October 2024 – 17:16
(Keystone-SDA) In the coming days, the orbit of Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas will reach its closest point to Earth. Due to the weather, Friday (tomorrow) should offer the best chance of seeing the celestial body with the naked eye.
Stefan Scherrer from Meteoschweiz said this at the request of Keystone-SDA. The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology expects that the cloud cover, which still dominates the first half of the day, will clear towards the evening. So there should be a good chance of seeing the comet in large parts of Switzerland. “The clouds shouldn’t be a big problem,” said Scherrer.
In general, if you are serious about observing comets, look for a place with little ambient light. Elevated areas are also recommended. Those who are in cities or other places with lots of light sources have a rather poor outlook.
70 million kilometers away
From today’s perspective, it could also be possible to see Tsuchinshan Atlas on Tuesday. The weather should improve by then. Saturday and Monday, however, offer gloomy prospects. According to meteorologists, it will then be very cloudy and rainy on both sides of the Alps. On Sunday, those who are in French-speaking Switzerland, Valais or Ticino can be the most optimistic. This is because it is clearing up from the west. The north and east of Switzerland are likely to remain relatively cloudy.
Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas is also called C/2023 A3. Its orbit will reach its closest point to Earth in the next few days. It is then about 70 million kilometers away – which corresponds to almost half the distance from the Earth to the Sun. According to astronomers, it is theoretically best seen from October 12th to 14th. However, the aforementioned weather in Switzerland puts a damper on recreational astronomers’ plans.
Tsuchinshan Atlas was discovered in early 2023. The name comes from telescope systems in China and South Africa that first spotted it. It is one of the non-periodic comets that – if at all – only come close to Earth again after a longer period of time. The comet comes from the Oort Cloud, a spherical collection of objects at the outermost edge of the solar system.
