Comet A3 viewing forecast: Clear skies over Boston
Skies will begin to clear Monday evening over the Boston area, offering another chance to see a comet in the western sky.The comet is known as C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS and it is making its first documented flyby of our planet, according to NASA.”You might want to look up to the sky, in particular the western sky,” said StormTeam 5 meteorologist Kelly Ann Cicalese. The best time for viewing is about one hour after sunset. It will be visible to the naked eye.”The next viewing is not for another 80,000 years so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Cicalese said. Several WCVB viewers have already shared their photos of Comet A3 on recent nights:
Clear weather conditions will offer the Boston area additional chances to see a dazzling comet streaking through the evening skies before it flies out of sight forever.
“It is still going to be visible in our sky for the next several evenings,” said StormTeam 5 Chief Meteorologist Cindy Fitzgibbon.
The comet is known as C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS and it is making its first documented flyby of our planet, according to NASA. In fact, it may be the comet’s only visit near Earth.
While NASA originally reported the comet orbited in 80,000-year cycles, the agency says newly available data has changed that prediction. As of Monday, NASA’s updated article said the comet’s path “may soon take it out of the solar system altogether.”
The best time for viewing from Massachusetts is about 30-60 minutes after sunset. It will be visible to the naked eye in the western sky, above and to the right of Venus.
“As we get closer to Thursday, the moon is going to be full so that will add a bit of a glare and the comet itself is going to be getting fainter,” said Fitzgibbon.
A3 was discovered in 2023 by observers at China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory and an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System telescope in South Africa. The comet was officially named in honor of both observatories. It’s closest proximity to the sun was reached on Sept. 27 and came within approximately 44 million miles of Earth on Oct. 12.
Several WCVB viewers have already shared their photos of Comet A3 on recent nights:
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