After the Northern Lights, it is the turn of comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas (or C/2023 A3) to delight lovers of sky observation nocturnenocturne. Considered “the comet of the century”, it is currently visibleeyeeye naked in thenorthern hemispherenorthern hemisphere and particularly in France.
However, this spectacle was not guaranteed. Because the powerful stormstorm solar energy at the origin of northern lightsnorthern lights of last week could well have made it disappear. It must be remembered that comets are bodies composed largely of ice and that it is common for them to disintegrate under the effect of the pressure exerted by the sublimation of gases during their passage near a star, like our SoleilSoleil. But no, she held on, to our greatest happiness.
To see it, you just need to have a clear sky (which is certainly not guaranteed at the moment) and turn due west at sunset, around 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in a clear environment. nighttime pollution.
The brightnessbrightness declining, the comet will appear a little above the horizon, in the form of a bright point decorated with a long blurred tail stretching upwards. It can be seen with the naked eye, but the spectacle is even more beautiful with a pair of binoculars. To find it more easily, you can bring a applicationapplication mobilemobileor spot the fairly strong glow of Arcturus. Then search the region of the sky to the left of this star.
However, we must not delay: visible since October 12 in our sky, Tsuchinshan-Atlas will gradually decrease in intensity for around ten days, until it disappears.
