This Is PA’s Last Chance To See ‘Comet Of Century’ For 80,000 Years

PENNSYLVANIA — What’s described as the “comet of the century” could outshine everything but the moon in the skies over Pennsylvania in the next few days and then again later in the month.

As Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas flies ever closer to Earth and our sun, it could be brighter than the stars, Jupiter and even Venus, according to some astronomers and scientists who are tracking the comet.

But if you miss it, there’s still another— and perhaps better — chance to see it. After Wednesday or perhaps Thursday — comets are nothing if not unpredictable — the comet will disappear for several days before making a brilliant return in the Oct. 11 evening sky and makes its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 12, when it will pass within about 44 million miles. You should be able to see the comet through the end of the month.

It will be easier to spot the comet in the evening sky. Look just after sunset for the constellations Leo, then Virgo, and scan the western horizon.

It’s possible to see the comet with the naked eye, but people who are serious about seeing the once-in-a-lifetime event should take along a good pair of binoculars and, even better, a telescope with a wide field of view,

You may also see the effect known as “earthshine,” the dim light from Earth that illuminates the dark side of the moon.

The weather has to cooperate to see Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, which has grown about 1 million times brighter since its discovery last year. It should be visible through at least Wednesday morning, according to The Planetary Society.

Locally, the National Weather Service is calling for cloudy conditions through Wednesday. On Thursday, the skies are expected to clear. Right now, people who live in south and mid-north latitudes have the best chances to see the comet on the eastern horizon about an hour before sunrise.

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, officially known as C/2023 A3, was picked up last year by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, at the Tsuchinshan Chinese Observatory in Purple Mountain, China. Scientists estimate it has been in orbit for about 80,000 years.

That means the last humans to have seen the comet would have been the Neanderthals.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, who is currently aboard the International Space Station, recently shared a video of the comet on the social media platform X and noted its tail has grown longer by the day. He instructed viewers to pause the video at about 15 seconds, where it appears the tail of the comet is bending in the more dense atmosphere closer to Earth.

On Sunday, Dominick posted a time-lapse video on X that showed the comet amid the aurora and satellites. The comet is coming around as the sun reaches its peak activity, called solar maximum, in an 11-year cycle. During this time, more frequent northern lights displays are likely.

People in the southern U.S. have been sharing photos of the comet on social media, including this one from Walker Springs, Alabama.

Related: As Sun Nears Solar Maximum Peak, More Northern Lights Displays Likely