Here's how to watch Comet A3 move across the sky this month

When the clouds finally clear after weeks of gray skies and rain, be sure to join the global collective of casual stargazers and professional and amateur astronomers enjoying the sight of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), or Comet A3 in short.

Comets are remnants of the formation of our solar system and they are constantly traveling in the solar system. It has been four years since there was a bright, beautiful and visible comet in the Northern Hemisphere – Comet NEOWISE. Due to the weather in the DC area, I haven't been able to look for comet C/2023 A3 yet, but I'll take the chance when the clouds clear.

For the D.C. region, Comet C/2023 A3 is currently rising above the eastern horizon in the predawn sky around 6 a.m. You need a clear view of the horizon with no bright lights, trees or structures – and binoculars are a big help. You may be able to see the tail rise above the horizon and the blurry coma appear shortly after.

The comet will appear in the evening sky at dusk around October 13th or 14th and should be much easier to see. Only time will tell, because comets are like cats – who knows what they will do. Forbes Magazine has a weekly tracker you might want to try.

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And according to spaceweather.com, another comet has been discovered that could provide another celestial spectacle shortly after Comet A3.

“It’s so new, it doesn’t have a name yet. The comet, tentatively named “A11bP7I,” appears to be a relatively large sungrazer that is on track to become a bright naked-eye object by the end of October,” the website says.

I will update this story as I observe and image comet C/2023 A3, and will also follow the latest news on this new comet.

Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, X and his daily blog to keep up to date with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.

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