'Amazing long tail': where and when Comet Tsunshan Atlas can easily be observed.

The impressively long tail can be seen on the horizon before the comet appears in all its glory at dusk on Saturday, provided the weather cooperates. However, this does not seem to be the case everywhere, at least on the weekend.

According to current forecasts from Geosphere Austria, a front will approach from the west on Saturday, and there may be a glimpse of the comet in southern and eastern Austria. From Monday onwards, there will be better observing opportunities if areas of fog do not obstruct the view of the celestial spectacle.

So that you do not miss the heavenly scene over Salzburg, we have collected some advice from an astronomer. Click here for this article.

Discovery of comet “Atlas Zouchenshan” in China

The “Zouchenshan Atlas” was discovered in early 2023 by observatories in China and South Africa. The object comes from the Oort Cloud, a spherical, shell-shaped collection of objects in the outer regions of the solar system, orbiting the Sun in a very long orbit, according to Alexander Piccard of the Vienna Working Group for Astronomy (WAA). The comet reached its closest approach to the sun (perihelion) on September 27, but was not yet visible from central Europe at that time.

Amazing images from the southern hemisphere

The comet has already appeared in the southern hemisphere, and stunning images have come from there. “As expected, the comet evolved in terms of brightness and appearance, as described in the textbook,” comet expert and head of the Martinsburg Astronomical Center (Lower Austria), Michael Jäger, explained to APA. Over the past few days, he and his colleagues have observed and photographed the “Tsochenchan Atlas” from Namibia.

The comet was as bright as the brightest star in the sky (1 magnitude), and its very long tail was more than 20 degrees in the sky. For comparison: the apparent diameter of the Moon is about half a degree.

A comet on October 12 is as bright as the North Star

Jagger expects the comet to “appear just above the western horizon in a very transparent sky as of the evening of October 12 as a second-magnitude object (i.e., as bright as the North Star, note).” Beckhard assumes that the Zouchenshan Atlas will be visible to the naked eye at dusk and will remain so for a good week before becoming too faint to be seen except with binoculars. But even in the early days of clear viewing, binoculars are recommended to help find the comet at dusk, Beckhard says.

According to Jagger, the comet's tail could be amazingly long – “certainly much longer than the 20 degree temperature we had in Namibia.” We'll know more once the comet appears in our evening sky.

Watch the comet together

In Martinsburg (Lower Austria) people are invited to watch together from Saturday onwards, if the weather is suitable. The WAA also organizes observation evenings at the Vienna Sufenalb in Vienna-Pinzing, weather conditions permitting.

(Source: APA)