Rare October Comet Expected to Be Visible to the Naked Eye This Week

Look up! A bright comet is expected to light up the sky this week.

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, also known as C/2023 A3, is making its way towards Earth and is expected to be visible to the naked eye – meaning without a telescope or other equipment – on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10, according to NASA.

The visibility of the comet is dependent on clear weather conditions. 

The comet will likely be most visible during the evening of Wednesday. Oct. 9 due to its position in relation to the sun, reports The New York Times.

Tsuchinshan-Atlas successfully passed the sun back in September without breaking due to the star’s heat, according to NASA. The rare event is expected to occur “once every 80,000 years” if the comet stays in orbit that long, according to the NYT.

The comet is expected to come within 44 million miles of the planet on Saturday, Oct. 12, making its closest approach ever, per NYT.

Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi told the outlet that the comet is “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and “is for everyone.”

Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium, explained the rarity of the comet’s visibility to NYT, saying, “Any comet that even remotely approaches naked-eye visibility is a comet worth going out to see because we just don’t get them all that often.”

The comet is expected to be visible in the northern and southern hemispheres. Countries like Brazil, Australia, Argentina and Peru could have the best view. NASA confirmed that the comet won’t return for another 800 centuries after its October appearance.

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In addition to Tsuchinshan-Atlas, LiveScience reports that another comet – called C/2024 S1 – may come into relatively close contact with Earth later in the month and potentially be visible to the naked eye. The comet, thought to be a “sungrazer” due to its closeness to the sun, may come within 81.8 million miles of the planet on Oct. 24 if it survives its journey, reports LiveScience.

The two comets being active in the same month is a monumental occasion, as the NYT reports that the second comet is expected to be the brightest near Oct. 28.

“To my memory, I cannot remember a similar case of two amazing comets back-to-back,” Masi told the outlet. “Find the best place to enjoy this cosmic gift. You will really see how beautiful the universe is.”