hot on the Another sight is about to appear in the sky, at the tail of the Shibungid meteor shower. Comet Atlas C/2024 G3 will reach perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the Sun, on January 13th. The comet is also visible closest to Earth and could become the brightest comet in 2025, when other comets are likely no longer visible to the naked eye. Here’s everything you need to know.
C/2024 G3 was discovered on April 5, 2024, by the Asteroid Earth Impact Last Alert System (Atlas), a network of telescopes that scans the universe for asteroids that could hit Earth. The comet came from the Oort cloud, a remote region in the outer reaches of the solar system that is thought to contain remnants of the material that formed the solar system’s planets.
When Comet C/2024 G3 reaches perihelion, it will come within just 13.5 million kilometers of the Sun. For comparison, Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, orbits its star at a distance of 47 million kilometers. According to the latest calculations reported by the Planetary Society, C/2024 G3 could reach a brightness of magnitude -4.5, about the same as Venus, and could be visible to the naked eye for people in the southern hemisphere.
But the comet’s unusual approach to the sun has raised questions about whether it will survive. Its orbit suggests that this comet is a dynamically old comet and that this is not the first time it has orbited the Sun. In fact, the last time it approached is estimated to have been around 160,000 years ago, meaning it may have already survived the approach. “It gets so hot that it might not survive,” says Nick James, head of the comet section. British Astronomical Society. “But if it does, it could be an impressive object in the evening sky from the Southern Hemisphere after perihelion.”
How to observe comets
If the comet survives intact, it will be visible in the western Southern Hemisphere just after sunset on January 13th. The comet’s orbital alignment makes it difficult for people in the Northern Hemisphere to observe, and it will soon be visible very low in the sky. before sunset or sunrise, but may be drowned out by dusk.
The comet’s close proximity to the Sun means it can be dangerous to identify it, and James said C/2024 G3 “should only be used by experienced observers.” should be observed.” Looking directly at the sun without protection can cause permanent damage to your eyes.
There is also interference from the waning moonlight, which may make observations even more difficult. It may be possible to observe the comet with the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere, but you may need binoculars or a telescope.
Those who don’t want to miss the show can track the comet in images from the Solar-Heliospheric Observatory’s Lasko C3 coronagraph, or visit the IAU Center for Minor Planets or the Comet Observatory (COBS) database.
This story was originally WIREDItaly Translated from Italian.
(Tag Translate) Space
