Today's Image

The best Comet A3 images, now in the night sky!

Night sky full of stars. There is a fuzzy object with a tail to the right side. There is a band of stars to its left.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dean Balosie from Flamingo, Florida, shared this image of Comet A3 he captured on October 21, 2024. He wrote: “First clear night in months, I was in luck with about a 2 hour window before the clouds rolled back in. Very grateful I got to witness this comet before it leaves us. I think it looked spectacular parting the black sky!” Thank you, Dean.

Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is now in the evening sky, and you can see it using just your eyes! People around the globe are capturing fantastic images of the comet just after sunset. Here’s how to try to see it for yourself! And in the meantime, enjoy these images from EarthSky community members around the world. And see even more pics in this video.

Have a great photo of your own to share? Submit it to us!

Comet A3 in the evening sky

The coast in the foreground, some rocks peak over the sea. A pinkish horizon and a blue sky. A bright line and a band of stars in the sky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abhijit Patil from San Mateo, California, captured the comet, the Milky Way and Venus on October 19, 2024, and wrote: “As an astrophotographer, this is the first time I am capturing a comet with the Milky Way. I am sure this is the case with many night owls like me. I would like to term this as a rare occurrence and a very beautiful one. Earlier I have shot Jupiter along the MW but photographing Venus and the Comet was truly a surreal experience.” Thank you!
Dark blue sky at top and light blue at bottom. There are many small, white stars. A mountain in the background. There is a bright object with a fuzzy tail above the mountain.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Petr Horálek from Spišská Belá, Slovakia, captured this image of Comet A3 on October 16, 2024. Pietr wrote: “Today the moon appears in the sky as the brightest full moon of the year since it is a perigee moon. It is about 30 percent brighter than the apogee moon, thus the night is expected to be bright, and not many dim objects can be observable. However, the currently well-visible comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS made another record as it was visible despite the bright moon. In the highest visible summit in the image, right from the comet’s head, you can spot a small shining pearl, the Lomnicky Stit Observatory, where Czechoslovakian astronomers in 50s of last century discovered several other comets (including 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova).” Thank you, Pietr!
A comet and at the top is a cluster of small dots of light.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Makrem Larnaout in Tunis captured Comet A3 and the globular star cluster M5 on October 16, 2024. Makrem wrote: “Comet C/2023 Tsuchinshan-Atlas appears to ‘kiss’ the globular cluster M5, also known as ‘The Rose,’ glowing in the same field. It was a challenging but rewarding experience!” Thank you, Makrem!
A comet over a city lit up, alongside a thunderstorm.
Yarelis Medina of the Astronomical Society of the Caribbean captured this photo of thunderstorms sharing a sky with Comet A3 on October 15, 2024, from Utuado, Puerto Rico. Thank you, Yarelis! Used with permission.

More of our evening visitor

A comet with a faint anti-tail above mountains and a lone tree.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Tina Clothier in Hawaii caught Comet A3 and its anti-tail on October 13, 2024. Tina wrote: “On Mauna Kea with clear sky and brisk wind.” Thank you, Tina!
Comet with a pinkish tail above cream-colored buildings at night.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Alaa in Sanabo, Egypt, captured the comet on October 13, 2024. Muhammad wrote: “This photo came by chance. I was going up to the roof of my house with a cup of tea as usual every day, and when I looked toward the west, I noticed the presence of the comet. I could not believe it.” Thank you, Muhammad!
A field at sunset with the comet behind.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Virginia Adams in Newberry, Florida, captured the comet on October 13, 2024. Virginia wrote: “Parked on the side of the road and was thrilled when I finally saw it!” Thank you, Virginia!
Sunset colors over the mountains with a comet that has a long tail.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Hadley Johnson in Santa Barbara, California, caught the comet on October 12, 2024. Hadley wrote: “It was a beautiful night on the California central coast … Perched on the Santa Ynez Mountains above Santa Barbara gave me a great view of the comet.” Thank you, Hadley!

The comet after sunset

Pink and blue sky with mountain range and a bright comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | John Ashley in Green Valley, Arizona, caught Comet A3 on October 12, 2024. John wrote: “The comet put in a brief appearance Saturday evening.” Thank you, John!
A saguaro cactus and the comet to the right.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Deborah Laferty in Tucson, Arizona, caught Comet A3 on October 13, 2024, from Saguaro National Park. Thank you, Deborah!
A hill and city lights with water, colorful sunset and the comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Fotis Mavroudakis captured the comet on October 14, 2024. Fotis wrote: “This is Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS after sunset over mountain Paggaion, Greece. Below the celestial event, the city of Kavala sparkles with lights at the edge of a calm sea.” Thank you, Fotis!
A saguaro cactus, bright light nearby, and the comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Betsy Burke caught the comet along with Venus (near the cactus) on October 14, 2024. from Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona. Thank you, Betsy!
The comet over a mountain range and body of water.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | John Humphrey in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, captured the comet on October 14, 2024. Thank you, John!

It has an anti-tail!

Read more about the comet’s anti-tail, which extends in the opposite direction of its regular tail.

Comet, with big tail pointing upward, away from the sunset horizon, and a 2nd tail pointing downwards to the horizon.
View larger and annotated. Yarelis Medina caught the anti-tail of Comet A3 on October 13, 2024, from Utuado, Puerto Rico. Thank you, Yarelis!
Red and blue sunset with a comet with a bright tail and a faint white line extending down from the head toward the ground.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Flynn in Pine Mountain Club, California, captured the comet and its anti-tail on October 13, 2024. Thanks, Michael!
A bright comet with a fainter line extending from the head toward the ground.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Southold, New York, captured Comet A3 and its anti-tail on October 14, 2024. Thank you, Steven!
Bright comet in dark sky with a thin light extending from the head downward.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona, caught the comet and its anti-tail on October 14, 2024. Eliot wrote: “The anti-tail is amazing, being narrow, almost like a laser beam.” Thank you, Eliot!
Comet with a fanned tail and a streak leading down from the head.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abhijit Patil in Saratoga, California, captured Comet A3 and its anti-tail on October 13, 2024. Abhijit wrote: “We were accompanied by another photographer, his kids and some other young guys. It was fun to see them exclaim in amazement when we showed the comet to them and they could see it with the unaided eye and the binocs. It was a very satisfying moment as an astrophotographer for me.” Thank you, Abhijit!

The beauty of Comet A3 in the morning sky

Silhouette of a person pointing up at a comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Faizus Amin in Point Reyes, California, captured Comet A3 on October 3, 2024. Thank you, Faizus!
Vertical blue sky with pink at the horizon and a white comet with long tail.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Shannon McDonell in West Wyalong, Australia, caught Comet A3 on October 3, 2024. Thank you, Shannon!
Purplish skies with a comet and a long tail over a dark village.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Alaa in Assiut, Egypt, captured Comet A3 on October 2, 2024. Thank you, Muhammad!
Sunrise colors with treed horizon and a white comet with long tail.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Flynn in Pine Mountain Club, California, caught Comet A3 on October 2, 2024. Thank you, Michael!
Orange to blue sky with dark horizon and a bright, white comet at center.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Anthony Haber in Stanwell Tops, Australia, caught Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Anthony wrote: “This was my first attempt to capture a photo of a comet. I left home at 3 a.m. and headed to the coast so that I had a clear view of the horizon to the east. I was happy to see the comet with my unaided eye , this being only my second comet I have ever seen … the first one being Halley’s comet back in 1986.” Thank you, Anthony!
Fence at foreground with lightening sky and dim comet at center.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Christopher Hartley captured Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Christopher wrote: “Photo taken at the old cattle sale yards and railway loading ramps (disused for more than 50 years) north of Cunnamulla in Outback Queensland, Australia.” Thank you, Christopher!
Orangish sky and dark landscape with some lights and comet above with long tail.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Marsha Kirschbaum in Castro Valley, California, captured Comet A3 on September 30, 2024. Marsha wrote: “I set my alarm for 4:00 a.m. and drove to a nearby park. I was so excited to capture this icy visitor. I was also amazed at how fast the comet moved at this focal length. Will now wait for mid-October when the comet will appear in the evening skies.” Thank you, Marsha!
Mountain with cloud bank and pink sky above plus comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Tina Clothier in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, caught Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS on September 27, 2024. Thank you, Tina!

Comet A3 in the morning sky

Silhouettes of heads on Easter Island with sunrise colors and a comet at left.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman on Easter Island caught the comet on October 2, 2024. Eliot wrote: “An amazing place to see the comet in pre-dawn. I found myself imaging the natives of this island doing the same thing maybe 1,000 years ago and wondering what they might have thought of a bright comet rising over their Moai.” Thank you, Eliot!
Sunrise colors with a comet appearing through thin clouds.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Raúl Almeida in Cerro del Cubilete, Guanajuato, México, captured Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Thank you, Raúl!
Animals in pasture in the foreground with a comet and vertical tail behind.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jean Cursino in Caçapava, Brazil, captured Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Thank you, Jean!
Twilight sky with a comet with long tail cutting across from lower left to upper right.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Aslam caught this image of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in Pakistan on October 1, 2024. Muhammad wrote: “I was lucky enough to catch stunning Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinsan-ATLAS) over the Indus River. It was a once a lifetime experience that left me in awe.” Thank you, Muhammad!

Gorgeous pics of Comet A3 and the moon

Orange, white and blue sky with moon at left and comet at right.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kenny Cagle at Lake Ouachita, Arkansas, captured the comet on October 1, 2024. Kenny wrote: “While I could see the moon okay, there was no sight of the comet, and I forgot my binoculars. I was hoping my camera would catch it with a long exposure, and it did.” Thank you, Kenny!
Moon at upper left with the comet and a colorful sky,
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Paul Schulz caught the waning crescent moon and rising comet from Safford, Arizona, on September 30, 2024. Paul wrote: “Went up a mountain road, high enough to see horizon unobstructed. I waited until the comet had risen above the horizon with the waning moon still visible. This was a dream shot.” Thank you, Paul!
Lights of a city and sunrise with the moon and a comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jose Palma in Setubal, Portugal, captured the moon and Comet A3 on September 30, 2024. Thank you, Jose!
Moon at upper left with comet at lower right over the sea.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Rod Chang in Arona, Tenerife, Spain, captured Comet A3 on September 30, 2024, along with the moon. Thank you, Rod!

Tsuchinshan-ATLAS from around the world

A white comet appearing in an orangish sunrise sky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Juan Sala caught Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) over the Mediterranean Sea during sunset on September 29, 2024. Thank you, Juan!
Comet over sepia-toned mountains in a sunrise sky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Osama Fathi captured this image of the comet over Mount Sinai in Egypt on September 28, 2024. Thank you, Osama!
Sunrise sky with a comet over mountains.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Elke Schulz at Obstech El Sauce Observatory, Río Hurtado, Chile, caught Comet A3 on September 28, 2024. Elke wrote: “At this location, the comet was easily visible with the unaided eye. Fun fact: Even before the bright comet head appeared above the ridge, the tail by itself was nicely visible.” Thank you, Elke!
Tan-ish sky with a white comet and mountains.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Susan Colosimo caught the comet rising above the Angeles National Forest in California on September 27, 2024. Thank you, Susan!
Some clouds and a brightening blue sky with a comet at center.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Grant Cowley in Port Lincoln, South Australia, caught the comet on September 27, 2024. Thank you, Grant!

Stunning views of Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

Minaret tower with comet in the sunrise behind.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Alaa captured the comet from his village in Upper Egypt on September 30, 2024. Muhammad wrote: “Part of the village appears in the picture, as well as some mountains and houses, and the minaret of the nearby mosque. From my house, I am very happy with this photo.” Thank you, Muhammad!
Colorful sunrise sky with comet.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abhijit Patil at Lick Observatory in California captured the comet on September 28, 2024. Abhijit wrote: “After looking at all the photos about the new comet from the Southern Hemisphere and a lot of missing out, finally the comet started making its appearance in the Northern Hemisphere.” Thank you, Abhijit!
A mission with a cross on top silhouetted in a sunrise sky with a comet just behind.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | John Ashley caught the “comet on a mission” on September 29, 2024. He wrote: “Comet A3 ATLAS cleared the horizon and rose into the dawn sky beyond the tower at the historic Mission San Jose de Tumacacori, in southern Arizona.” Thank you, John!
Colorful sky with a white comet with long tail.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhummad Aslam in Sindh, Pakistan, caught the comet on September 28, 2024. Thank you, Muhammad!
Blue and orange sky with white comet and mountains.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Bill Phelps caught Comet A3 over Isla Carmen in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, on September 27, 2024. Thank you, Bill!

Comet A3 photo gallery continued

Dark hillside with lightening sky behind and a white comet with long tail above.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Tameem Altameemi in United Arab Emirates captured Comet A3 on September 27, 2024. Tameem wrote: “It’s currently in the constellation of Sextans, at a distance of more than 139 million kilometers from Earth.” Thank you, Tameem!
Pinkish blue sky with a comet above a city with lights.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Roosevelt Silva in Formosa, Brazil, captured this view of the comet on September 25, 2024. Thank you, Roosevelt!
Rainbow-colored sky before dawn with a white comet with a tail going to the upper right.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Saeed Ahmed Abbasi in Kandiaro, Sindh, Pakistan, captured our “celestial visitor” on September 24, 2024. Thank you, Saeed!
Pinkish purple sky with a dim white comet at center.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Stephen James O’Meara in Maun, Botswana, captured Comet A3 on September 24, 2024. James wrote: “This view is representative of how the comet appears through 8×42 binoculars.” Thank you, James!
Comet A3: Sunrise-lit sky with darker slices and a comet in each image.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lucy Yunxi Hu in Lake George, Australia, captured this time slice of Comet A3 rising at dawn on September 21, 2024. Lucy said: “The image was shot during the blue hour (between 4:28 and 4:53 am local time).” Thank you, Lucy!

More gorgeous pics of Comet A3

Dark blue sky with comet, a tiny white dot with a tail, among streaky orange clouds.
Victor Rivera in Puerto Rico captured Comet A3 on September 22, 2024. Thank you, Victor! Used with permission.
Tiny comet in a medium blue sunset sky with tail pointing up.
Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) on September 18, 2024, from Queensland, Australia. Terry Lovejoy took this image and estimated the magnitude at 4.0. He said the comet was visible dimly in 10×42 binoculars as a fuzzy star with a hint of tail. Used with permission.
Two rocky projections with a comet above and between them in a somewhat dark sky.
Terry Lovejoy captured Comet A3 from Queensland, Australia, on September 16, 2024. Thank you, Terry! Used with permission.
A dusk sky with some stars and a comet with a fuzzy, short tail going straight up.
Michael Mattiazzo captured this image of Comet A3 on September 15, 2024, from Victoria, Australia. Thank you, Michael! Used with permission.

Bottom line: Check out these gorgeous photos of Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS – now in the evening sky! – contributed by EarthSky community members from around the world.

Posted 
October 16, 2024
 in 
Today's Image

Like what you read?
Subscribe and receive daily news delivered to your inbox.

Your email address will only be used for EarthSky content. Privacy Policy
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

More from 

Kelly Kizer Whitt

View All