Passage of Comet C/2023 Tzuchinshan.

Merida, October 6 (EFE). Extremadura will once again become a privileged territory for observing the passage of the comet. This is the case with the so-called C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, whose brightness will make it visible to the naked eye this October and which now invites us to “look at the sky more, not less.” in the navel.”

Although it has been classified as the “comet of the century” for its ease of visualization thanks to its long and bright tail, Extremadura astronomy promoter José Guijarro prefers to err on the side of caution. “Who knows if they will open another one, equal or even more brilliant, in the short or medium term.”

At the moment, as José Luis Quiñones, founder and director of the astrotourism complex Entre Encinas y Estrellas, the first astronomical host observatory complex in Europe, told EFE, “expectations are very high.”

“Whether this is from a century ago or not, we still don’t know because the phenomenon is unpredictable right now,” says Quiñones. The key, he says, is whether it can withstand solar radiation or not, as it can also disintegrate, something Guijarro also warns about.

This comet, like the vast majority, is made of rock, ice and gases. As it approaches the Sun, its materials and gases heat up and release steam along the way, “that’s the tail we see,” Guijarro noted.

Given the speed of the comet on its trajectory, the chances are high that it will “hold on,” allowing “the majestic tail to be seen.”

While it is true that the comet has been observed since late September at dawn, just before sunrise, it will be closer to Earth between October 12 and October 18. It can be seen at the end, looking towards the setting sun – to the west, very close to the horizon.

“Every day we will see it a little higher” above the horizon, which usually always represents light pollution and a denser atmosphere, said Guijarro, a member of the Astrotourism for Extremadura association.

Its complex name “C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS” corresponds to a number of information specific to its identification. The letter “C” means that it is not a periodic comet or the period of its passage is incalculable.

Denomination

“If this happens now, it is possible that it will never happen again, unlike other newspapers such as Galley,” Guijarro said. Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comes from the outer solar system known as the Oort Cloud and has a highly elliptical orbit.

The number “2023” reflects the year in which it was discovered, and the binomial “A3” corresponds to the fact that said discovery occurred in the first two weeks of January (A) and that it was the third (3) discovery seen in those first fifteen days .

The Zuchinshan-ATLAS rating refers to the Chinese observatory that opened it. This was later confirmed by the South African Astronomical Observatory, one of three members of the latest asteroid impact warning system.

Astronomers from elsewhere in Spain, as well as France, Great Britain and Germany, have already visited the Quiñones sites, located in Fregenal de la Sierra (Badajoz). Extremadura offers very favorable conditions for astronomical observations.

Humanity has always looked at the sky and its activities have been marked by astronomy. In the 17th century, Quiñones argues, astronomers were the “influencers” of today. His vision and interpretation of the sky determined the future of many things and decisions.

In his opinion, the passage of this comet will not prevent you from looking more at the sky and “peering less into your navel.” Only in this way “we will know where we are, who we are and what place or role we occupy here.” EFE