People in the UK should “look to the west” to spot Comet A3, an astronomer has said.
The comet, also known as Tsuchinshan-Atlas, was visible from the UK on Saturday evening and was pictured above the London skyline and over Dorset.
It has been called “the comet of the century” because of how bright and visible it could be, according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).
Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, said the comet “is visible in the early evening skies from the UK”.
Did you see Comet A3 last night? If you did and were lucky enough to snap a picture, please send them to us at press@ras.ac.uk or tag us on social media.
— Royal Astronomical Society (@RoyalAstroSoc) October 13, 2024
Missed out? Don't worry, you can have another go tonight! Follow our simple guide on how to spot it: https://t.co/9x81dLJvUY pic.twitter.com/UJMgpblcGB
Dr Brown told the PA news agency: “Low on the horizon at sunset, it is best to wait a while for the sky to darken a bit before trying to see it.
“Look to the west, just to the left of where the sunset was and, if you are lucky, it should be just about visible to the unaided eye.
“However, as it is rapidly fading as the days go on, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will certainly help if you are struggling to find it.
“It is visible across the country, though a low western horizon is a must, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be out in the countryside where light pollution is less of a problem.”
People may be able to see the comet using binoculars or even with the naked eye. However, it is said to be decreasing in brightness from Tuesday onwards with sunset at around 6pm said to be the best time to look out for the comet tonight.
The comet was only discovered in January last year, but astronomers said it would last have been visible from our planet around 80,000 years ago when Neanderthals were alive.
