“Old” comet visible over Earth tonight – here’s what you should know

Topline

An “ancient” comet that won't be seen for tens of thousands of years will be visible Thursday evening after traveling from outside the solar system to its closest point to Earth earlier this month, according to NASA.

Important facts

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Where can I see the comet?

Bill Cooke, a NASA astronomer, recommends finding a high, dark vantage point and looking southwest. Tsuchinshan-ATLAS's tail will be illuminated about 10 degrees above the western horizon and will likely be between the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius, according to Cooke. The Italy-based Virtual Telescope Project will also host a livestream of the comet on October 21st.

When can I see the comet?

According to Cooke, the best time to see the comet is just after sunset and before sunrise. With binoculars and a small telescope, it will likely be visible in the night sky until October 24th. Until then, the comet will gradually rise and fade in brightness before disappearing sometime in early November, according to NASA.

Important background

A number of celestial events have been observed from the United States in recent weeks. A severe geomagnetic storm caused by the release of energy and particles from the sun's surface caused the northern lights to reach as far as Texas last week. October's full moon will also be the largest supermoon this year, appearing about 14% larger than the average full moon after reaching its closest point to Earth just after 11 p.m. EDT on Thursday. Other comets and meteor showers can also be observed throughout the winter, including comet ATLAS – expected to appear in late October – and the Southern Taurids meteor shower, among others.

Further reading

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