Comet approaches Earth with light that may outshine Venus

Scientists have announced that the bright comet C/2023 A3 Tuchinshan-Atlas will pass close to Earth in October, and the highest point of its journey is expected to be on October 9, when its peak brightness could exceed that of the planet Venus.

“The enthusiasm for this celestial body was almost immediate,” said astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, scientific director of the Virtual Telescope project, which will show the comet’s passage live on several occasions. The first broadcast is scheduled for October 9, at 6:45 p.m. (Italian time), on the project’s website.

“At the beginning of October, the situation [do cometa] It can make it appear brighter on the Earth-Sun line, thanks to a physical effect known as “forward scattering,” where dust on the comet reflects sunlight forward. So if a comet passes between us and the Sun, it can become tens, hundreds, or thousands of times brighter.

Comet C/2023 A3 Tuchinshan-Atlas has been visible in the sky for about 10 days, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, however, observing conditions at its peak, in October, should not be the best: the comet will only be visible in the twilight sky and at a very low position on the horizon.

“What we see will depend on the behavior of the star,” said the astrophysicist, who reported that on October 12, its position in the sky will be more favorable, although its brightness will have already decreased.

.