A BRIGHT comet may very well be seen within the sky for the primary time in 160,000 years – making it an actual once-in-a-lifetime show.
It will likely be one of many brightest comets to move Earth in 20 years.
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The house rock, formally often known as G3 ATLAS (C/2024), reached peak brightness on 13 January.
It’ll preserve that glow over the approaching days, when consultants say it may very well be seen to the bare eye.
It might shine as vibrant as Venus, or much like Tsuchinshan-ATLAS/ Comet C/2023 A3, the “comet of the century” that shocked stargazers in mid-October.
The final time Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) handed Earth, people have been starting to unfold internationally after leaving Africa.
It was first noticed by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Final Alert System (ATLAS) on 5 April final 12 months – when it was 407 million miles away from Earth.
The comet is now round 87 million miles away from Earth – and inching nearer by the second.
Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) is called a ‘sungrazer’ comet, which means its orbital journey takes it extremely near the Solar.
Present calculations counsel it can move inside 8.3million miles on the Solar’s scorching floor.
Small ‘sungrazer’ comets typically do not make it previous the burning blaze of Earth’s closest star.
Just like the ‘Halloween Comet’ / C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) for instance, which flew too near the Solar and wiped out earlier than stargazers bought an opportunity to see it.
Scientists, nevertheless, stay hopeful of comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas)’s prospects.
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is a reasonably outdated comet, and scientists imagine it final handed Earth 160,000 years in the past.
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Meaning it has already made a minimum of one move of the Solar in its lifetime – and survived.
In concept, that might imply G3 ATLAS can deal with a minimum of one other shut encounter with the Solar.
Whereas the precise places for attainable visibility are unknown, consultants imagine it might be greatest noticed from the southern hemisphere.
For the northern hemisphere, together with the UK and the US, viewing could also be difficult because of the comet’s being so near the Solar.
“As with all comets, its visibility and brightness might be unpredictable,” mentioned Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s Faculty London.
“Observers might have alternatives to identify it within the days round perihelion, relying on native circumstances and the comet’s behaviour.”
He added that viewing alternatives are “notoriously unsure” and that many comets find yourself fainter than anticipated.
On Saturday, Nasa astronaut Don Pettit posted an image he had taken of the comet from the Worldwide Area Station on X.
“It’s completely wonderful to see a comet from orbit. Atlas C2024-G3 is paying us a go to,” he wrote.
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