Comet’s Risky Sun Encounter Could Lead to Spectacular October Display

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A comet named Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is set to pass dangerously close to the sun, potentially resulting in a brilliant display visible from Earth in October—if it survives. The comet, discovered in 2023, has traveled millions of years through space. On Friday, it will reach its closest point to the sun, risking disintegration due to the intense heat and gravitational forces. If it remains intact, the comet will be visible in the northern hemisphere, offering a spectacular sight in the night sky. However, its future trajectory is uncertain, as it could either be ejected from the solar system or return in the distant future.

 

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A comet is expected to make a risky close approach to the sun on Friday, potentially setting off a spectacular display next month—if it survives the encounter. The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet, which has been hurtling toward the solar system’s center for millions of years, was discovered in 2023 by a Chinese observatory and a South African program. Estimated to have formed up to 400,000 times farther from the sun than Earth, it has so far only been visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere.

On Friday evening, the comet will reach its closest point to the sun before heading back towards Earth. By October 13, it will become visible in the northern hemisphere, where it could be seen in the sky near the setting sun, according to astronomer Lucie Maquet of the Paris Observatory.

However, this visibility depends on whether the comet survives its close encounter with the sun. As comets approach the sun, the heat causes their icy cores to release dust, creating a reflective tail. If the sun’s gravitational pull is too strong, the comet could disintegrate. Fortunately, the comet, officially named “C/2023 A3,” has a substantial core, giving it a good chance of survival, though initial predictions of its brightness have been revised downward.

The comet’s future path remains uncertain, as its journey through the solar system will be influenced by the sun’s gravity and other celestial bodies. It could eventually be ejected from the solar system or return after passing through the distant Oort cloud. The comet’s ultimate fate may depend on future encounters with objects in this far-flung region of space.