COMET OF THE CENTURY | Last opportunity for comet hunters in Caceres
October 19 and 20 may be ideal to take photos and see C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.as the Moon’s brightness will not interfere with viewing the comet, making it an exceptional opportunity for amateur astronomers and night sky photographers.
Some Caceres fans shared their X-shaped images of this astronomical phenomenon over the city’s sky.
This astronomical event coincides with period of intense solar activity, which allowed the northern lights to appear at unusually low latitudes, including in areas of the Iberian Peninsula.
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in the sky over Caceres. / Juan Jose Ventura
According to Europa Press, although It is unlikely that it will be possible to see a comet and auroras at the same time Due to differences in time and sky directions, the opportunity to witness both phenomena on the same night created great excitement among fans.
Comets are celestial bodies formed ice, dust and small rock particlesWith. They originate from the Oort cloud, a vast and distant reservoir of icy bodies surrounding the solar system.
First observation
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has been a long time coming, but it can finally be seen with complete clarity from Caceres. After several days of unfavorable weather conditions, the comet known as the “comet of the century” was visible on the night of Sunday, October 13, in the sky of Caceres. This star, made of ice and dust, is approaching Earth, offering a spectacle that will not be repeated for thousands of years.
Its brilliant brightness, which surprised astronomers around the world, offered a simple view of the city of Caceres. These days, numerous townspeople and astrophotography enthusiasts approached the Cerro del Amparo observation deck, trying to capture the image. It is believed that the last time it visited the inner solar system was about 80,000 years ago, when Neanderthals were still walking the Earth.
Eight thirty, best time
The best time is to start at eight thirty last Sunday, just as the sun begins to set below the horizon of the monumental city. A peculiar elongated whitish spot appears. It was the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS that could be seen between the planet Venus and the star Arthur.
Gradually the image became clearer and an impressive tail was visible as the sun set. Experts advise viewing the comet from low-light locations with a clear western horizon. La Montagna is a good place for this, as is Cerro del Amparo. Starting this Sunday, this will be more difficult to assess.