– A newly discovered comet called C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) could potentially become bright enough to see with the naked eye in the night sky this fall.
– It was discovered in February 2023 and is approaching the sun. On September 27th it will make its closest approach to the sun at a distance of 36 million miles.
– On October 12th it will pass about 44 million miles from Earth. This close approach could cause it to brighten significantly and potentially develop a visible tail.
– However, there is uncertainty as this is the comet’s first time approaching the sun from the distant Oort Cloud. Comets on their first passes often underperform brightness expectations.
– Its brightness will need to be monitored over the summer. If it continues brightening as expected past late July, it has a good chance of being visible in October. But it could also fade more than expected.
– Around October 8th there may be a boost in brightness from sunlight scattering off its dust particles as it passes very closely between Earth and the sun.
– If conditions are right, it could potentially outshine Venus and be visible to the naked eye in October, but this visibility cannot be guaranteed at this stage. Observers will need to wait for further updates.
Source: Space
