<p>It's the season of comets it seems. As Comet A3 makes its way towards the Sun, another one is already on its way. The ATLAS survey in Hawaii discovered the new comet on September 27 and it hasn't been named yet.</p>

<p>It has been provisionally designated A11bP7I and is expected to be as bright as Venus. According to spaceweather.com, it will be so bright that you might be able to catch it hovering in the sky even during daytime. And yes, this also means that you won't need any special equipment to see the comet.</p>

<p>The newly discovered comet belongs to the "Kreutz sungrazer" category and will make an appearance towards the end of October and early November.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Peak time to see the comet</h2>

<p>Mark your calendars for October 28, and this is when it will be at perihelion, which is at its closest point to the sun. It will have a brightness magnitude of -5 to -7 on this day. This is when you can scan the skies even during daytime to catch a glimpse of it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before perihelion, it would be best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere. If it survives its trip to the&nbsp;sun, people in the Northern Hemisphere might be able to witness a spectacular show.</p>

<h2>What are Kreutz sungrazer comets?</h2>

<p>Kreutz sungrazers are comets that come from the Kreutz family of comets that come extremely close to the sun.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-a3-icy-visitor-from-oort-cloud-is-becoming-brighter-here-is-when-to-watch-and-how-762534">Icy visitor from Oort Cloud is becoming brighter. When to watch and how</a></p>

<p>The name "sungrazers" originates from the fact that these comets have orbits that bring them within a few thousand kilometres of the sun's surface.</p>

<p>Because of their proximity to the sun, most of them are killed. However, the larger ones that escape the wrath of our star develop bright tails and also become visible from Earth.</p>

<p>Sungrazers are believed to originate from one massive comet that broke apart around 2,000 years ago.</p>

<p>The last sungrazer comet to pay us a visit was Ikeya–Seki (C/1965 S1) in 1965. It was also visible during noon at the time and was much brighter than A11bP7I.</p>

<p>"A11bP7I is at least 4-5 magnitudes fainter than Ikeya-Seki at the same distance," Qicheng Zhang, an astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, told spaceweather.com.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Nonetheless, it could still produce a prominent visual display in early November if it survives its close encounter with the sun."<br />
&nbsp;</p>


It's the season of comets it seems. As Comet A3 makes its way towards the Sun, another one is already on its way. The ATLAS survey in Hawaii discovered the new comet on September 27 and it hasn't been named yet.

It's the season of comets it seems. As Comet A3 makes its way towards the Sun, another one is already on its way. The ATLAS survey in Hawaii discovered the new comet on September 27 and it hasn't been named yet. It has been provisionally designated A11bP7I and is expected to be as bright as Venus. According to spaceweather.com, it will be so bright that you might be able to catch it hovering in the sky even during daytime. And yes, this also means that you won't need any special equipment to see the comet. The newly discovered comet belongs to the "Kreutz sungrazer" category and will make an appearance towards the end of October and early November. Peak time to see the comet Mark your calendars for October 28, and this is when it will be at perihelion, which is at its closest point to the sun. It will have a brightness magnitude of -5 to -7 on this day. This is when you can scan the skies even during daytime to catch a glimpse of it. Before perihelion, it would be best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere. If it survives its trip to the sun, people in the Northern Hemisphere might be able to witness a spectacular show. What are Kreutz sungrazer comets? Kreutz sungrazers are comets that come from the Kreutz family of comets that come extremely close to the sun. Also Read: Icy visitor from Oort Cloud is becoming brighter. When to watch and how The name "sungrazers" originates from the fact that these comets have orbits that bring them within a few thousand kilometres of the sun's surface. Because of their proximity to the sun, most of them are killed. However, the larger ones that escape the wrath of our star develop bright tails and also become visible from Earth. Sungrazers are believed to originate from one massive comet that broke apart around 2,000 years ago. The last sungrazer comet to pay us a visit was Ikeya–Seki (C/1965 S1) in 1965. It was also visible during noon at the time and was much brighter than A11bP7I. "A11bP7I is at least 4-5 magnitudes fainter than Ikeya-Seki at the same distance," Qicheng Zhang, an astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, told spaceweather.com. "Nonetheless, it could still produce a prominent visual display in early November if it survives its close encounter with the sun."

October sky: After A3, super bright 'sungrazer' comet will be visible at noon

<p>NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick has once again caught on his camera a celestial wonder that will leave you in awe. He recently shared a timelapse of the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS captured from the International Space Station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The comet, designated C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is currently making its way towards the sun. Dominick saw it hovering above Earth's atmosphere as it journeys to the centre of our solar system.</p>

<p>The astronaut shared that the comet looks like a fuzzy ball to the naked eye, but it started taking shape using some advanced camera features.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows," wrote Dominick, commander of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission, in a post on X. "But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a time lapse preview."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows. But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a… <a href="https://t.co/JstaSLJ4Ui">pic.twitter.com/JstaSLJ4Ui</a></p>
— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) <a href="https://twitter.com/dominickmatthew/status/1836916069870751825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dominick has in the past shared photos of auroras over Earth and a meteorite entering our planet, besides several others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered in 2023 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and Tsuchinshan Chinese Observatory (Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences).&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is set to return towards Earth in October when it is expected to become visible to Earthlings. It moves in a retrograde orbit around the sun, which is in the opposite direction to planets and asteroids.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-expected-to-die-near-the-sun-might-survive-the-trip-visit-earth-in-october-754227">Comet expected to die near the sun might survive, then visit Earth in October</a></p>

<p>This led researchers to conclude that it originated in the Oort Cloud, a theoretical region that lies beyond Neptune's orbit. It is seen as the birthplace of long-period comets that travel into the inner solar system.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Brighter than Jupiter comet will visit Earth in October</h2>

<p>Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is travelling at a speed of 180,000 mph towards the sun. After reaching this region, it will begin its return trip and pass Earth on its way out of the solar system. The comet will be at its closest point to the sun on September 27. Later, it will come at its nearest point to Earth on October 12 where it will be approximately 70.6 million kilometres (43.9 million miles) away. It is expected to be so bright that it will likely overshadow Jupiter.</p>

<h2>Is the comet disintegrating?</h2>

<p>Some reports suggested that the comet will die upon its approach to the sun. Astronomer Zdenek Sekanina pointed out that at &nbsp;58.6 million kilometres (36.4 million miles) from the sun, the comet will fizzle out after outgassing. "The comets of this class have a tendency to disintegrate if they are intrinsically faint and depleted in dust by the time they are near 1 AU from the Sun," Sekanina said.</p>

<p>However, other scientists later stated that it is completely fine and intact.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick has once again caught on his camera a celestial wonder that will leave you in awe. He recently shared a timelapse of the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS captured from the International Space Station.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick has once again caught on his camera a celestial wonder that will leave you in awe. He recently shared a timelapse of the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS captured from the International Space Station. The comet, designated C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is currently making its way towards the sun. Dominick saw it hovering above Earth's atmosphere as it journeys to the centre of our solar system. The astronaut shared that the comet looks like a fuzzy ball to the naked eye, but it started taking shape using some advanced camera features. "So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows," wrote Dominick, commander of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission, in a post on X. "But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a time lapse preview." So far Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS looks like a fuzzy star to the naked eye looking out the cupola windows. But with a 200mm, f2 lens at 1/8s exposure you can really start to see it. This comet is going to make for some really cool images as it gets closer to the sun. For now a… pic.twitter.com/JstaSLJ4Ui — Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) September 19, 2024 × Dominick has in the past shared photos of auroras over Earth and a meteorite entering our planet, besides several others. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered in 2023 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and Tsuchinshan Chinese Observatory (Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences). It is set to return towards Earth in October when it is expected to become visible to Earthlings. It moves in a retrograde orbit around the sun, which is in the opposite direction to planets and asteroids. Also Read: Comet expected to die near the sun might survive, then visit Earth in October This led researchers to conclude that it originated in the Oort Cloud, a theoretical region that lies beyond Neptune's orbit. It is seen as the birthplace of long-period comets that travel into the inner solar system. Brighter than Jupiter comet will visit Earth in October Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is travelling at a speed of 180,000 mph towards the sun. After reaching this region, it will begin its return trip and pass Earth on its way out of the solar system. The comet will be at its closest point to the sun on September 27. Later, it will come at its nearest point to Earth on October 12 where it will be approximately 70.6 million kilometres (43.9 million miles) away. It is expected to be so bright that it will likely overshadow Jupiter. Is the comet disintegrating? Some reports suggested that the comet will die upon its approach to the sun. Astronomer Zdenek Sekanina pointed out that at 58.6 million kilometres (36.4 million miles) from the sun, the comet will fizzle out after outgassing. "The comets of this class have a tendency to disintegrate if they are intrinsically faint and depleted in dust by the time they are near 1 AU from the Sun," Sekanina said. However, other scientists later stated that it is completely fine and intact.

Watch: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS en route to sun captured from ISS

Soon after, numerous amateur photographers began sharing stunning images of the comet just above the horizon during predawn hours.

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