Pinal County, AZ – Last night, residents of Pinal County were treated to a celestial spectacle as Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) made its appearance in our evening skies. The comet was visible low in the western sky shortly after sunset, its tail illuminated by the fading sunlight.
If you missed last night’s show, don’t worry – you still have a chance to catch this rare visitor. The comet will remain visible through October 24th, with the best viewing opportunities occurring between October 14th and 24th. To spot it, look to the west, about 25 degrees above the horizon, just after sundown.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered just last year, in 2023, by observers at China’s Purple Mountain Observatory and an ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa. Despite its recent discovery, this celestial wanderer is actually ancient, hailing from the distant Oort Cloud at the edges of our solar system.
What makes this comet particularly special is its rarity. This is the first time in recorded human history that Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has approached the inner solar system. Its highly elliptical orbit means that after this close pass, it won’t return for approximately 80,000 years.
The comet recently survived a close encounter with the Sun on September 27th, emerging mostly intact despite the intense heat. Now, it’s making its closest approach to Earth, coming within about 44 million miles of our planet on October 12th.
So, Pinal County residents, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Step outside on these October evenings and look to the stars – you might just catch a glimpse of our rare cosmic visitor before it disappears into the depths of space for millennia to come.
