SINGAPORE: Those gazing up into the heavens will have the opportunity to see Comet C/2023 A3 over Singapore in a few days.
The comet, which many have been watching out for some time now, may well be visible to the naked eye in the city-state from Oct 11 to Oct 22, with this extremely rare occurrence allowing earthlings to see it on our horizons for the first time in 80,000 years, according to a report in Travel + Leisure.
The best date to see Comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-Atlas, is on Oct 14.
“Observers would have the best chance of seeing Comet C/2023 A3 on Oct 14, in the western sky just after sunset,” The Straits Times (ST) quotes the Science Centre Observatory (SCOB).
However, while the comet will be brightest on Friday (Oct 11), due to its location, its visibility will be better on Oct 14.
If you miss your chance on Oct 14, try again between Oct 15 and 22, when opportunities for a sighting will also abound.
“Persistence is key – if you can’t see it one night, try again the next. Keep looking and don’t give up,” Dr Koh Wee Ming, assistant honorary secretary of The Astronomical Society of Singapore (TASOS), told ST.
Travel + Leisure says that the best places to see it are in Singapore’s western areas, such as East Coast Beach and Changi Beach, especially where there is little light pollution.
It added that the best time to do so is around the half-hour mark after the sun goes down or around 7:30 in the evening.
And while you’re likely to be able to see Comet C/2023 A3 even without special equipment, if you have binoculars, you may as well bring them with you for a more spectacular view.
However, if you’re unable to see the comet in person for any reason, you can always check out a live screening on the Science Center Observatory’s YouTube account.
“This incredible comet has overtaken NEOWISE from 2020 in brightness, with current estimates of 0.4 magnitude!
The tail is stretching a whopping 15 degrees across the sky—that’s equal to the width of 30 Full Moons!” wrote Vito Technology, the company that developed Star Walk, the night sky app.
In contrast, the famed Hale-Bopp comet, which appeared in 1997, only had a magnitude of -1. “Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle! Keep your eyes on the sky!” the company added.
Photos of the comet have been shared all over social media, including this spectacular one from Chile.
Read also: 5 enormous asteroids whizzing past Earth this week
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)