
Neowise and meteor by Gary Syrba
There were hopes that Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS aka Comet A3 would be the comet of the century. While it is not quite that, it does appear that it will be visible for the next couple of weeks just after sunset, even to the naked eye! The good folks at EarthSky offer a helpful checklist to spot Comet A3:
- Be sure you’re looking at the correct direction and time. Comet A3 will be visible low in the west after sunset beginning around October 14.
- You need a dark, unobstructed sky. Start looking when the sky is dark, but close to sunrise or sunset. Make sure there aren’t hills, trees or buildings blocking your view.
- If you can’t see the comet with your eye, try your phone. Most cell phone cameras provide a night or low-light mode. But capturing an image of the comet will require that you hold the camera firmly – or lean against a fixed object like a tree – to avoid shaky or blurred image.
- AFTER you’ve located the comet, use binoculars or your eyes to sweep in that area in the sky.
Gary took this shot of Comet Neowise back in July of 2020. See more in his Night Skies gallery on Flickr and view & purchase his work on his website.
