How to watch once-in-a-lifetime comet visible from Earth this month
Space is full of fascinating celestial bodies and all types of wonders and you might be able to catch an eyeful of one in a few days.
If, for some reason, you don’t know the names of every rock moving through the infinite vacuum of space, then you might have missed the upcoming news.
Comet G3 ATLAS (C/2024) is coming to town and you might be able to catch a glimpse of it. Now you shouldn’t feel too bad if the name doesn’t ring any bells, as it was only recently discovered.
Advert
It was discovered in early April 2024 and was the third comet found that month and identified by the facility Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), according to PEOPLE.
As for where it came from, Space.com reports that it's believed to have originated from Oort Cloud, which is comprised of millions of tiny icy objects estimated to be 10 trillion miles from the Sun.
However, seeing it in the night sky might be easier said than done, according to astronomers.
On January 13, the comet is expected to reach perihelion, which means its at its closest point to the Sun.
At this time, the comet will come within approximately 8.3 million miles of the Sun. The same day, it's also predicted to reach its closest point to Earth.
This time around, many more people can catch a glimpse of it in the clear sky using rather basic technology, binoculars or a telescope - and if visible, it'll look like a bright star with a white or golden color, Space.com says.
While both the Northern and Southern hemisphere will have a chance of viewing, the Southern will have an easier time spotting it.
According to the Sky and Telescope Organization, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere might have the ability to spot the comet 'extremely low in the southwestern sky' from about January 15 to 18.
According to the Planetary Society, some experts expect the comet to come apart as it ventures closer to the Sun, however, new research has indicated that this isn't Comet G3's first rodeo.
Data reveals that it's been estimated to be on a approximate '160,000-year orbit', so it's been on one hell of a journey.
This gruelling orbit also means that it's likely that the comet has ‘survived at least one close approach to the Sun before.’
While it's tough to predict a comet's visibility, Forbes reports that the comet is said to be shining at -4.5 magnitude, which is brighter than Venus.
And while some would interpret this as a bad sign, comet observer John Bortle told Space.com that 'unusual' features had been reported, such as a 'shadow of the nucleus' which is usually 'not a sign of disruption'.
"I think chances of its survival are about 50:50." Bortle added.
It's worth a shot at least.
Gerrard Kaonga