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08 October 2024 | 10:33
Comet is approaching Earth: when and where Kazakhstanis will be able to see it
Tengrinews.kz - Information appeared online that in mid-October, residents of Kazakhstan will be able to see a comet. Is this really the case? Tengrinews.kz decided to ask a Kazakh expert.
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Tengrinews.kz - Information appeared online that in mid-October, residents of Kazakhstan will be able to see a comet. Is this really the case? Tengrinews.kz decided to ask a Kazakh expert.
According to Svetlana Moshkina, a specialist at the Astrophysical Institute, this is indeed true.
"The Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) passed perihelion on September 27, approaching the Sun at 0.39 astronomical units (58 million km). On October 12, it will be closest to Earth at a distance of 0.48 astronomical units (70 million km). Its brightness will decrease as it moves away. From October 11 to 12, the comet will appear above the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere after sunset, and it can be observed until October 18, after which it will only be visible through a telescope," she said.
The expert clarified that during its approach to Earth, the comet's brightness could increase to -2 magnitude (meaning the comet will be very bright and easily visible to the naked eye).
"On October 12, during its approach to Earth, the comet can be seen in the west after sunset, between the stars Spica and Arcturus. On October 12, the Sun sets below the horizon at 5:14 p.m., and by 6:00 p.m. the sky will be dark enough to see the comet. However, in Almaty, observing it will be difficult due to the mountains in the west and the smog," noted Svetlana Moshkina.
According to the Astrophysical Institute employee, the comet will be best observed by residents of northern Kazakhstan.
The expert recalled that the comet was discovered on January 9, 2023, at the Zijinshan Observatory with a brightness of 18.7 magnitude. On February 22, 2023, it was photographed by the South African Astronomical Observatory as part of the ATLAS project. Svetlana Moshkina noted that the comet was named C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in honor of the observatories where it was first seen. There is a possibility that it may never return to the Sun.
Read also: Comet, last seen by Neanderthals and mammoths is approaching Earth
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