What To Know
- After the Great North American Solar Eclipse in April and one of the greatest aurora borealis displays in 500 years in May, eyes are now turning to a bright comet that could become the next major celestial attraction.
- Naturally, there is always uncertainty about the final brightness of a comet, because its behavior depends on various factors, including its composition and its evolution as it approaches the Sun.
- Astronomers will be keeping a close eye on its evolution as it approaches, hoping that it becomes a memorable celestial attraction to cap off an already eventful year.
The year 2024 looks set to be a banner year for astronomy enthusiasts. After the Great North American Solar Eclipse in April and one of the greatest aurora borealis displays in 500 years in May, eyes are now turning to a bright comet that could become the next major celestial attraction.
A new comet is coming
In the past two years, two comets have attracted the attention of the general public: comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF), nicknamed the Great Green Cometand Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also known as the Devil’s Comet because of its sudden eruptions and spectacular appearance. However, both of these comets were difficult to see without dark, light-free skies. A new comet, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), however, could change the situation. Discovery by the ATLAS warning system in South Africa, this object could indeed be visible to the naked eye (or even as bright as Venus) from late summer to early fall. Previously considered an asteroid, it has since been identified as an incoming comet. It is expected to pass close to the Sun and Earth in October 2024.
An illustration of the Solar System showing the position of comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as of 21 May 2024. Credit: TheSkyLive.com
Great uncertainty
Naturally, there is always uncertainty about the final brightness of a comet, because its behavior depends on various factors, including its composition and its evolution as it approaches the Sun. Some may indeed promise a grand spectacle but end up underperforming, while others that initially seemed unimpressive may surprise observers with their brilliant brightness. So while the forecast is encouraging, there is no guarantee that the comet will reach its full brightness potential.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) observed in the constellation Virgo on May 11, 2024. Credits: Wikimedia Commons/Cpayoub/CC0 A key element that could influence the brightness of the comet is the forward scattering of sunlight. Specifically, if Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is particularly dusty, dust particles ejected from its core could scatter our star’s light forward, causing its brightness to increase dramatically. Comets such as Skjellerup-Maristany (C/1927 X1) and McNaught (C/2006 P1) have been observed to exhibit this behavior before, suddenly becoming very bright due to the forward scattering of light. Ultimately, only direct observation will tell us what comes next for Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Astronomers will be keeping a close eye on its evolution as it approaches, hoping that it becomes a memorable celestial attraction to cap off an already eventful year. In the meantime, astronomy enthusiasts around the world can prepare to look up at the sky and witness a potentially spectacular celestial spectacle.
