MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The comet became visible at the time predicted by astronomers in the predicted geometry of the celestial vault. It is observed close to the horizon, where the Sun “sets” and disappears behind the edge of the Earth’s disk.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a short-period comet. It received a double name because it was discovered simultaneously by two teams of observers: on February 27, 2023, at the 50-cm ATLAS survey telescope in South Africa, and on January 9, a month and a half earlier, by employees of the Chinese Tsuchinshan Asteroid Survey. Its periodicity is about 70 years.
The presented images were taken by the staff of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex Faculty of Physics, NSU on Friday, October 11, in the Kolyvansky district of the Novosibirsk region, where the cloud cover was not as dense as in Novosibirsk.
As Alfiya Nesterenko, head of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex of the Physics Department of NSU, notes, the bright coma and very long tail make this comet very noticeable and memorable. The distance to the Sun is currently not the closest in trajectory, and the influence of the Sun has not yet “split” the tail into ion (usually bluish-green) and gas (usually white-yellow) components. The comet is currently at its brightest. It will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere for another two to three weeks, but it will gradually rise higher above the horizon and become less bright.
This is not the last memorable astronomical event of this autumn. Recently, on September 27, 2024, another new comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) was discovered.
In the Northern Hemisphere, it will only be visible on October 28 for a few hours, in the early evening, when it gets dark. However, only the comet’s tail will be visible, without the coma.
— You can try to see the tail during the day on October 28, looking in the direction of the Sun. But you must use black or gray filters, as during a total solar eclipse, otherwise you can get a retinal burn. The tail will start from the solar disk and cross a significant part of the sky. The speed of the comet is abnormally high, which will allow you to observe the tail of the comet, “twisted” around the Sun. This rare astronomical event can be seen on October 28, 2024, from approximately 07:00 to 15:00, culminating at 11:00 (UTC). The brightness of the comet and its tail can be several times or even tens of times greater than the brightness of the full Moon, — said Alfia Nesterenko.
The publication was prepared based on materials provided by the head of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex of the Physics Department of NSU, Alfiya Nesterenko.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
http://www.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/science/comet-with-2023-az-zijingshan-atlas-became-visible-at-sunset/