Images of the ‘comet of the century’ seen from Menorca
This is a unique opportunity to witness this because it will not happen again for another 80,000 years. The sky of Menorca was Witness of the passage of C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLASknown as the “comet of the century”, as evidenced by the images taken this Monday Martin Acosta from Punta Nati.
In the pictures you can see comet trail above the western horizon of the island. Although October 12 and 13 were periods of maximum visibility, when it passed closest to Earth, It could be before the end of October at dusk
albeit with less intensity. Comet seen closer | Martin Acosta
This comet, discovered in January 2023, It promises to be one of the brightest in recent decades.. Its proximity to Earth provides an exceptional opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts and the general public to enjoy its spectacular nature. Discovered by the Tzuchinshan Observatories in China and the ATLAS Observatories in Hawaii, this comet stands out with the expected brightness. Experts estimate that its magnitude could reach -5, which would make it an object brighter than Venus and possibly visible during the day.
Comets are celestial objects composed primarily of ice, dust and rocks.which revolve around the Sun. As they approach our star, the sun’s heat causes its material to sublimate, forming a bright “tail” that can extend millions of kilometers into space.
Another image of a comet above the horizon | Martin Acosta
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS It has been compared to historical events such as the passage of comets Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake in the 1990s.which left an indelible mark in the memory of those who saw them. In particular, Hale-Bopp was so bright that it could be seen in broad daylight through telescopes. The brightness of this comet is due to its large size and proximity to both the Sun and Earth. Its core is believed to have a diameter of several kilometers, and its trajectory will take it only 70 million kilometers from our planet.