Atlas-Sutchinsk comet to approach the Sun on Sept 27, Visible to naked eye

Team Udayavani, Sep 18, 2024, 8:42 AM IST

Udupi: The rare Atlas-Sutchinsk comet is expected to be visible to the naked eye by the end of this month and in early October, according to astronomer Dr. A.P. Bhat.

First observed through a telescope in January 2023 from a distance of about 100 million kilometers, this comet has been dubbed the “Comet of the Century.”

The comet, originating from the distant Oort Cloud on the outskirts of the solar system, is traveling at a speed of 80 km per second and will approach the Sun on September 27. It will be visible to the naked eye just before sunrise during the last week of September.

This comet, which orbits the Sun once every 80,000 years, will return from its closest approach and be visible in the western sky in early October, just after sunset. On October 12, it will make its closest approach to Earth. During the first week of October, it will be visible even more clearly in the western sky, creating a spectacular view after sunset.

Although the comet was initially observed in January 2023 and astronomers predicted it to be the “Comet of the Century,” by February 2024 it was presumed to have disintegrated. However, either a fragment or the original comet has reappeared, and astronomers now believe it will be a rare sight, visible to the naked eye this year.

Previous comets visible to the naked eye have been referred to as “Great Comets” in astronomy. Some of the notable comets seen with the naked eye include Halley’s Comet in 1996, Hale-Bopp in 1997, NEAT in 2003, McNaught in 2007, Lovejoy in 2011, and NEOWISE in 2020, Dr. A.P. Bhat explained.