A comet that was last visible when Neanderthals walked the earth could be spotted with the naked eye this weekend, scientists said.
Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has been called the “comet of the century” because of how bright and visible it can be, according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). Astronomers said it would have been visible from our planet about 80,000 years ago, and was only discovered in January 2023.
Stargazers in the southern hemisphere have already seen comet A3, but it can now also be seen in the northern hemisphere, the association said. Between October 12 and 30, people may be able to see the comet with binoculars or even with the naked eye. His closest pass will be on Saturday, at a distance of about 44m miles.
To see the comet, stargazers were told to look to the west just after sunset, which is 6.13pm in London. The comet’s tail, believed to be about 18 m miles long, will be a prominent feature.
In a video on the society’s website, deputy director Dr Robert Massey said it is possible to take pictures of the comet, especially if a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera is used.
According to RAS, the comet comes from the Oort cloud – a giant spherical shell that surrounds our solar system and contains billions of objects, including comets.
