PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A newly discovered comet is lighting up the skies of the Pacific Northwest. But this weekend marks the best time stargazers can view it with the naked eye.
Discovered in 2023, Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) made its closest approach to Earth on Thursday, nearly coinciding with a coronal mass ejection (CME), a phenomenon which leads to the northern lights.
However, the cloud cover has made evening viewing of the comet difficult. According to Jim Todd, OMSI Director of Space Science Education, looking towards the western horizon this weekend 30 minutes after sunset and away from any city lights will be your best bet at catching a comet view.
"You'll see the planet Venus really easily to the west. That's not the comet. How can you tell it's Venus? Because it's bright. It's really bright. It's recognizable right away," he said.
But if you pivot your focus to the right, he recommends taking your binoculars or phone to take a picture. If you see a fuzzy object, you're in the right place.
"You're looking at the coma. That's the brightest portion of the comet," Todd added. "And you look to the right and then you recognize it right away. It gets darker depending how it turns out. Then you start seeing the dust tail."
Although the half- to full-mile long diameter comet is projected to appear through Oct. 24, the cloudier weather will likely prevent further viewing. Then it will not return for another 80,000 years.
However, this will not be the last time the Pacific Northwest will see a comet in the month of October, according to Todd.
"It's called Comet S1," he said. "It was just recently discovered, it may be the brightest comet that we've seen in a very long time. That's the early prediction. I'm hoping it will be. There's a lot of excitement about Comet S1 and more details will come. But for now, let's enjoy Comet A3"
Todd notes spectators will not need a telescope to see this weekend’s comet. But a tripod and longer exposures are best suited for picture-taking. If you have a photo or video of the comet, share it with the KOIN 6 Weather Team here for a chance to have it featured on-air.
