Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is making an impressive appearance in morning skies at the moment. The comet – which survived rumors of its disintegration – made its closest approach to the sun on September 27, 2024. The comet’s closest approach to Earth will be on October 12. It should transition from a morning object to an evening object around that date. Try to see it for yourself! And in the meantime, enjoy these images from EarthSky community members around the world.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Alaa in Assiut, Egypt, captured Comet A3 on October 2, 2024. Thank you, Muhammad!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Flynn in Pine Mountain Club, California, caught Comet A3 on October 2, 2024. Thank you, Michael!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!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!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!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
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!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Raúl Almeida in Cerro del Cubilete, Guanajuato, México, captured Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Thank you, Raúl!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jean Cursino in Caçapava, Brazil, captured Comet A3 on October 1, 2024. Thank you, Jean!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
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!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!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jose Palma in Setubal, Portugal, captured the moon and Comet A3 on September 30, 2024. Thank you, Jose!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
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!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!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!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!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
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!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!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!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhummad Aslam in Sindh, Pakistan, caught the comet on September 28, 2024. Thank you, Muhammad!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jan Curtis in Cheyenne, Wyoming, caught the comet on September 28, 2024. Jan wrote: “The comet was not visible with binoculars or the unaided eye despite clear skies.” Thank you, Jan!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
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!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Roosevelt Silva in Formosa, Brazil, captured this view of the comet on September 25, 2024. Thank you, Roosevelt!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Saeed Ahmed Abbasi in Kandiaro, Sindh, Pakistan, captured our “celestial visitor” on September 24, 2024. Thank you, Saeed!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!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
Victor Rivera in Puerto Rico captured Comet A3 on September 22, 2024. Thank you, Victor! Used with permission.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.Michael Mattiazzo in Australia captured this view of Comet A3 on September 17, 2024. Thank you, Michael! Used with permission.Terry Lovejoy captured Comet A3 from Queensland, Australia, on September 16, 2024. Thank you, Terry! Used with permission.Michael Mattiazzo captured this image of Comet A3 on September 15, 2024, from Victoria, Australia. Thank you, Michael! Used with permission.
Epic images from social media
This morning, I captured another image of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) from the @LCOAstro site in the Atacama Desert, Chile ????. The view was absolutely stunning !!! The comet is clearly visible visually. My gear: Nikon D810a camera with a 135mm lens. Exposure: 20 x 30… pic.twitter.com/lieSFHEP1W
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is finally here ! ???I captured this image this morning at 09:22 UTC from @LCOAstro in Atacama desert in Chile ?? The view was absolutely spectacular ! The clouds were constantly moving just above the horizon, but we got really lucky when the… pic.twitter.com/AoClHkatFr
So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows. But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a… pic.twitter.com/JstaSLJ4Ui
Kelly Kizer Whitt - EarthSky’s roving nature reporter on YouTube - writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
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