Rare comet could be visible in the Hudson Valley sky this October

Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
·1 min read

Lower Hudson Valley residents may have a chance to spot another rare celestial event in the skies for the next two weeks.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also known as Comet C/2023 A3 and Comet A3, hasn't been seen from Earth in over 80,000 years. But just after sunset the evening of Monday, Oct. 14, the rare comet will be visible in the west near the horizon between the star Arcturus and the planet Venus.

Luckily for amateur astronomers, nights are expected to be mostly clear through Saturday, which means there's a high chance of catching this once-in-a-lifetime sight.

CCNY Planetarium said the comet will be visible until October 26 in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but as it travels farther away from the Sun, the light will get dimmer. However, on Monday, Oct. 14, it's likely to be "as bright as the North Star."

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) appears in the western sky shortly after sunset above rock formations in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on October 13, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The comet, also known as Comet A3, is about 44 million miles from Earth and likely originated from the Oort Cloud. It last passed Earth 80,000 years ago.

When is the best time to see the comet?

Astronomers at the CCNY Planetarium in Manhattan said the best time to see the comet is 30 to 40 minutes after sunset, right above where the sun just set. In the Lower Hudson Valley, that's around 6:40 p.m.

For the best viewing, try to get to an elevated area to avoid any tall buildings blocking the view and have binoculars or a telescope handy.

Did you catch a glimpse of the comet? Send us your photos via bit.ly/lohudthroughyoureyes.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Yorkers may spot rare comet over Hudson Valley in October 2024