Comet NEOWISE shines with a thin ion tail and a wider dust tail. The comet was discovered in March … [+]
What time will comet A3 be visible tomorrow? Comet A3, also known as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), is currently in a dispute with a waning crescent moon that grows thinner and more delicate each night.
The comet also gradually sinks toward the eastern horizon before sunrise and becomes harder to see. Therefore, you must wake up very early and have a clear view of the eastern horizon.
Comet A3 is set to be visible for the rest of this week before disappearing into the sun’s glare for a short time. It will emerge again at twilight around October 12 for those in the Northern Hemisphere. In the evenings after October 12 (when it will be closest to Earth at about 44 million miles (71 million kilometers)), it will climb higher in the sky and hopefully brighten up a lot. Either way, it should be visible in the west just after sunset.
Here’s how to see it tomorrow — and how to look at the stars as you find it:
Uranogram to see Comet A3, also known as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), one hour before sunrise … [+]
Where to see Comet A3: Tuesday, October 1
Position: east-southeast, 21 degrees from the sun in Leo
Time: one hour before sunrise where you are (around 07:00 in the US)
Expected magnitude: +4.5
Comet distance from the sun: 60.5 million kilometers
Comet distance from Earth: 112.3 million kilometers
See comet A3 next to a delicate crescent moon today — a very rare sight!
Look east an hour before sunrise to see the comet to the right and a 1.5% crescent moon to the left. Start the search about 75 minutes before sunrise, when both will appear in astronomical darkness, which will last until about 60 minutes before sunrise. It’s a small window.
The night sky on Tuesday, October 1 one hour before sunrise, with Comet A3 and a waning crescent moon … [+]
Stargazing with Comet A3
If you’ve bothered to get up an hour or more before sunrise to see the comet with the naked eye, it’s also worth looking around the night sky before dawn for some bright objects visible today.
If you look directly above the comet and crescent moon, you’ll see Mars, which is currently moving toward its opposition in 2025. It’s close to the two Gemini stars, Castor and Pollux.
In the northeastern sky you will see Ursa Major, while in the southeastern sky you will see the bright star Sirius and, above it, the constellation Orion, most recognizable for the three bright stars of the belt – Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka.
Check out my feed every day this week and next for a daily “comet tracker” with sky maps and tips for viewing Comet A3.
I wish you clear skies and open eyes.
