241023 - Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet
|
click image to enlarge
|
ASTRO:
type=comet mag=-4.9 (max.) const=Virgo, Serpens-Caput, Ophiuchus dist=44 M mi. (closest to Earth) size=comet: 2.9 mi dia.; coma: 130 k mi dia.; tail: 18 M mi. long IMAGE: location=EB Backyard BrtlCls=5 moon=57% WxGb exposure=DSLR OSC, 11x20s (3.7m), ISO1600 EQUIPMENT: camera=Nikon D90 (stk) optics=Nikon 18-105mm kit zoom lens (DX), FL=18mm, f/3.5 filter=(none) mount=fixed tripod guiding=(none) SOFTWARE: acquisition=(in camera) processing=PixInsight, Photoshop, LrC |
|
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was a spectacular celestial visitor that captured the attention of astronomers and stargazers alike in October, 2024. The comet was detected on its in-bound journey on February 22, 2023, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope located in South Africa; and, the ATLAS Team promptly published information on its location and trajectory. However, it was also found by the team at the Purple Mountain (Tsuchinshan) Observatory near Nanjing, China on January 9, 2023, and is also permanently recorded in that observatory's records. Because both discoveries were recorded independently, the comet's name combines the names of both observatories: Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.
The comet's parabolic-shaped orbit reached perihelion at a distance of appx 36 M mi. as it made its closest approach to the Sun on September 27, 2024. Shortly afterward on October 12, 2024, it reached peak brightness with an apparent magnitude of -4.9, while rising out of the Sun's glare into northern evening views. Before then, it had only been visible in early mornings to inhabitants of the southern hemisphere; but in October, spectators of Earth's northern hemisphere got their first glimpse of this magnificent object in spectacular evening sunset views. Within 2 days, the comet became visible to the naked (unaided) eye. Its tail stretched out for an impressive 18 million miles (or ~29 M km). At perihelion, it passed inside the orbit of the planet Mercury which revolves around the Sun at a mean distance of appx 58 M mi. The comet's coma (its bright, illuminated head - not its physical solid mass) measured about 130,000 miles (209,000 km) in diameter; making it almost 14x larger than the Earth, and only slightly smaller than the planet Jupiter. Scientists were confident A3 would survive its close encounter with our Sun (...many smaller comets do not). It also explains why it was discovered so early in it's journey toward us, and why it became so bright and its tail so long. The comet blazed through the inner solar system at an incredible speed of ~180,000 miles per hour; almost 3x faster than Earth's velocity around the Sun. That's about 80 km/s relative to Earth. In comparison, the Voyager 1 space probe, which was launched in 1977, and whose velocity has been enhanced by the gravitational pull of several planets encountered along its way, is speeding away from us at a velocity of appx 17 km/s.
C/2023 A3 is classified as a non-periodic comet, meaning its regular orbit around our Sun is greater than 200 years long. Its next visit to the inner solar system is estimated to be in about 80,000 years. ...also translating into it's last visit here having been in the midst of Earth's most recent ice age. With such a long distance traveled, this comet is thought to have come to us from the Oort Cloud - a theoretical cloud of icy bodies that exists at the furthest extents of our solar system. The Oort is thought to surround the Sun at a distance of about 9 trillion miles (or appx 1½ ly). Voyager 1 passed the orbit of Pluto in 1998, but hasn't yet reached even 3% of that distance. Essentially, the Oort is a huge, very distant sphere of comet-like objects that might serve as the source for long-period comets like this one that occasionally visit the inner solar system. The cloud's existence was first proposed by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort in 1950. Although we haven't directly observed it yet, there is strong evidence suggesting it's out there. It’s a bit like a cosmic deep-freeze located at the extreme outer reaches of our solar system. Many astronomical scientists theorize that because the most common compound found in comets is ice (being the solid form of water); one or more comets may have been the source of where Earth's water came from.
While A3 was clearly visible to the naked (unaided) eye, using binoculars or a telescope provided even better views. Astrophotographer's had a "hay-day"; with 1,000's of images published in online forums and social media, and captured with every level of amateur equipment from dedicated AP telescope rigs to hand-held digital cameras and even smartphones. In many of these images, an "anti-tail" was visible in 'front' of the head of the comet. This 2nd tail was actually a portion of the main dust tail, being a result of the perspective we held from here on Earth - where the actual 'fan-like' nature of the tail was spread-out directly away from, and in-line with our line-of-sight behind the comet. NASA published an animated YouTube video demonstrating the phenomena.
In the included image, Tsuchinshan was nearing its final vestiges of visibility, and provided a gloriously beautiful show as it crossed the Milky Way. Because the comet moved so quickly, and because of an extra-bright, full super-moon occurring on October 17th, - open, naked-eye viewing quickly became limited; yielding to views only with the aid of binoculars and/or a telescope. ...but still magnificently beautiful. It remained visible for only 3 weeks before fading into the distance beyond the reach of most amateur equipment. Institutional observatories continued to track Tsuchinshan for several more weeks; even after loosing its semblance of a tail.
Despite its short-lived performance, this comet was one for the record books; being one of the brightest comets in over a decade and offering a very rare, once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity. This AP-er will remember it for a very long time; as it is now etched permanently into my Astronomical journey.
The comet's parabolic-shaped orbit reached perihelion at a distance of appx 36 M mi. as it made its closest approach to the Sun on September 27, 2024. Shortly afterward on October 12, 2024, it reached peak brightness with an apparent magnitude of -4.9, while rising out of the Sun's glare into northern evening views. Before then, it had only been visible in early mornings to inhabitants of the southern hemisphere; but in October, spectators of Earth's northern hemisphere got their first glimpse of this magnificent object in spectacular evening sunset views. Within 2 days, the comet became visible to the naked (unaided) eye. Its tail stretched out for an impressive 18 million miles (or ~29 M km). At perihelion, it passed inside the orbit of the planet Mercury which revolves around the Sun at a mean distance of appx 58 M mi. The comet's coma (its bright, illuminated head - not its physical solid mass) measured about 130,000 miles (209,000 km) in diameter; making it almost 14x larger than the Earth, and only slightly smaller than the planet Jupiter. Scientists were confident A3 would survive its close encounter with our Sun (...many smaller comets do not). It also explains why it was discovered so early in it's journey toward us, and why it became so bright and its tail so long. The comet blazed through the inner solar system at an incredible speed of ~180,000 miles per hour; almost 3x faster than Earth's velocity around the Sun. That's about 80 km/s relative to Earth. In comparison, the Voyager 1 space probe, which was launched in 1977, and whose velocity has been enhanced by the gravitational pull of several planets encountered along its way, is speeding away from us at a velocity of appx 17 km/s.
C/2023 A3 is classified as a non-periodic comet, meaning its regular orbit around our Sun is greater than 200 years long. Its next visit to the inner solar system is estimated to be in about 80,000 years. ...also translating into it's last visit here having been in the midst of Earth's most recent ice age. With such a long distance traveled, this comet is thought to have come to us from the Oort Cloud - a theoretical cloud of icy bodies that exists at the furthest extents of our solar system. The Oort is thought to surround the Sun at a distance of about 9 trillion miles (or appx 1½ ly). Voyager 1 passed the orbit of Pluto in 1998, but hasn't yet reached even 3% of that distance. Essentially, the Oort is a huge, very distant sphere of comet-like objects that might serve as the source for long-period comets like this one that occasionally visit the inner solar system. The cloud's existence was first proposed by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort in 1950. Although we haven't directly observed it yet, there is strong evidence suggesting it's out there. It’s a bit like a cosmic deep-freeze located at the extreme outer reaches of our solar system. Many astronomical scientists theorize that because the most common compound found in comets is ice (being the solid form of water); one or more comets may have been the source of where Earth's water came from.
While A3 was clearly visible to the naked (unaided) eye, using binoculars or a telescope provided even better views. Astrophotographer's had a "hay-day"; with 1,000's of images published in online forums and social media, and captured with every level of amateur equipment from dedicated AP telescope rigs to hand-held digital cameras and even smartphones. In many of these images, an "anti-tail" was visible in 'front' of the head of the comet. This 2nd tail was actually a portion of the main dust tail, being a result of the perspective we held from here on Earth - where the actual 'fan-like' nature of the tail was spread-out directly away from, and in-line with our line-of-sight behind the comet. NASA published an animated YouTube video demonstrating the phenomena.
In the included image, Tsuchinshan was nearing its final vestiges of visibility, and provided a gloriously beautiful show as it crossed the Milky Way. Because the comet moved so quickly, and because of an extra-bright, full super-moon occurring on October 17th, - open, naked-eye viewing quickly became limited; yielding to views only with the aid of binoculars and/or a telescope. ...but still magnificently beautiful. It remained visible for only 3 weeks before fading into the distance beyond the reach of most amateur equipment. Institutional observatories continued to track Tsuchinshan for several more weeks; even after loosing its semblance of a tail.
Despite its short-lived performance, this comet was one for the record books; being one of the brightest comets in over a decade and offering a very rare, once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity. This AP-er will remember it for a very long time; as it is now etched permanently into my Astronomical journey.