Dust Off Your Telescopes! Comet Returns After 80,000 Years for a Possible Encore

Get ready to turn your eyes to the skies! A comet that hasn't graced our corner of the universe in over 80,000 years is making a comeback and might just be visible from Earth. They're calling it Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or Comet A3 if you're into brevity, and its visit could happen in two phases over the next month. This celestial wanderer, with an orbit estimated to be longer than 80 millennia, first popped into view around September 27th and will stick around until just before sunrise on October 2nd. Expect to see a fuzzy ball, complete with a tail that stretches across the heavens. "C/2023 A3 has an orbital period of approximately 80,000 years, classifying it as a long-period comet. This means its behavior and appearance can be unpredictable, with potential changes in brightness and tail development as it approaches the sun," Minjae Kim, a space expert in the University of Warwick's astronomy department, told earth.com. If you miss it now, don't fret! There's another chance for a sighting in mid-October, and word on the street is that it'll be even better. The catch? This all hinges on whether the comet can survive its trip around the sun. Apparently, these icy travelers sometimes break apart when they get too close to our star. Fingers crossed it makes it! Sept. 27th also marked perihelion, or closet point to the sun, after which the comet will begin its trip back to the outer solar system, according to WKMG. If it does survive, the comet could be visible with the naked eye as it becomes its closest to Earth, with its best visibility expected from Oct. 12 until Oct. 20. Starwalk, an astronomical app for stargazers, said this comet is the "most anticipated comet of the year." So, mark your calendars! If Comet A3 makes it through its solar encounter, we could be in for a spectacular show. And if not? Well, there's always the next comet... in another 80,000 years.