After months of speculation, comet C/2023 A3, Tsuchinshan/ATLAS, is about to pop up over the horizon as seen from the UK. Views from the southern hemisphere show that it is already sporting a short tail and is being seen in twilight. So what are the prospects for UK observers?
The earliest it might be seen is around 27 September – but to start with, this is an early morning job, and you’ll need a very low horizon to the east, not to mention crystal-clear skies. However, if all this seems to much, then you could wait a week or two, as the prospects for seeing the comet in early October look promising.
Our Comet Section director Stuart Atkinson gives full advice on what to look for and where on our Comet News page. So take a look there and be prepared.
Predicted appearance of comet 2023/A3 Tsuchinshan/ATLAS using Stellarium software. Credit Stuart Atkinson.