Constantly scanning the sky, it has to happen. Regularly, even. A new comet has just been discovered by astronomers. According to their predictions, it could eventually become brighter than the stars in our sky.
THE astronomersastronomers nicknamed it “Tsuchinshan-ATLAS”. But its code name is C/2023 A3. It’s about a cometcomet frankly discovered. It is not uncommon to discover a comet. So why is this one drawing attention? Because according to initial estimates – still all provisional – it could well become, within more or less a year and a half, the brightest object in our sky.
Astronomers predict that comet C/2023 A3 will reach its perihelionperihelion – the point of its orbit closest to the Sun – around September 28, 2024. Around the following October 13, it will be closest to the Earth. Between these two points, its magnitude could change from 0.7 to -0.2. Some even think that it could reach a magnitude of the order of -5. Which would make it the brightest object in our sky – except SoleilSoleil et LuneLune. For comparison, it is classically Venus which occupies this place with a magnitude of about -4.5. And the magnitudes of comets C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and C/2020 F3 (Neowise) peaked at 5.3 and 0.9, respectively.
Nothing is confirmed yet
Another particularity of the comet C/2023 A3: its impressive vitessevitesse of displacement. It is currently running at more than 290,000 kilometers per hour. In a region somewhere between the orbits of Saturn and Jupiter.
Astronomers hope to be able to start observing it more closely from June 2024. On the side of the Virgo ConstellationVirgo Constellation. They hope… because in the end nothing is less certain. Because comets know how to be capricious. They sometimes break up in totally unexpected ways. And passing almost as close to the Sun as MercureMercure, C/2023 A3 will well risk disintegration. But if it continues on its way, it could, for example, be visible just after its passage closest to our Earth, on the side of the western horizon, just after sunset.