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Here's how to see the 'once-in-a-lifetime' comet and large supermoon over Philadelphia – NBC10 Philadelphia

Posted on by Vanessa
Here's how to see the 'once-in-a-lifetime' comet and large supermoon over Philadelphia – NBC10 Philadelphia

Stargzer in the Philadelphia region is in for a double celestial treat this week: a rare comet and a mega supermoon will shine in the night sky.

“This could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer at the Franklin Institute, said of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which appeared over the Philadelphia region this week. “So, take some friends and enjoy the view.”

The comet shines brightest, just as the supermoon Hunter's Moon shines even larger than normal.

With all this excitement in the night sky, we have your guide to taking a look at comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS and the supermoon. Here you will find answers to your questions.

First, let's talk about Tsuchinshan ATLAS.

What is a comet?

“Comets are frozen remnants of the formation of the solar system, consisting of dust, rock and ice,” says NASA. The comets are “snowballs of frozen gases, rocks and dust that orbit the sun”.

Comets “range from a few kilometers to dozens of kilometers wide, but as they orbit closer to the sun they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet,” NASA says. “This material forms a tail that stretches for millions of kilometers.”

Basically what you can see is the tail of heated debris.

And there is no shortage of comets waiting to be discovered.

“There are likely billions of comets orbiting our Sun in the Kuiper Belt and even more distant Oort Cloud,” NASA says.

“Comets are more fragile than people may realize because of the impact that passing by the Sun has on its internal water ice and volatiles such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide,” said NASA astronomer Bill Cooke, who leads the Meteoroid Environment NASA's office runs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

NASA wrote in a Watch the Skies blog post:

The brightness of comets is measured on the same scale we use for stars. This scale has been used since around 150 BC. Used in the 4th century BC, when it was developed by the ancient scholar Hipparchus and refined by the astronomer Ptolemy. Star brightness is measured on a logarithmic scale, making a magnitude 1 star exactly 100 times brighter than a magnitude 6 star. The lower the number, the brighter the object is and the more likely it is to be clearly visible, be it with the telescope or with the naked eye.

“Typically, a comet would have to reach a magnitude of -6 to -10 to be seen in daylight,” Cooke said. “This is extremely rare.”

No comet is perhaps more famous than Halley's Comet, which flies past Earth every 75 to 76 years. “Halley is the only known short-period comet that is regularly visible to the naked eye from Earth, and the only comet that can appear to the naked eye twice in a human's lifetime,” NASA says.

Where did comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS come from, how did it get its name?

This comet is much rarer than Halley's Comet and, according to astronomers, may not return.

“The Oort Cloud comet, named C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was discovered in 2023 and approached the inner solar system in its highly elliptical orbit for the first time in recorded human history,” NASA wrote in a Watch the blog post Skies. “It was identified by observers at China’s Tsuchinshan – or Purple Mountain – Observatory and an ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa. The comet was officially named in honor of both observatories.”

According to Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer at the Franklin Institute, the comet has likely been in its orbit for “more than 80,000 years.”

This could be a once-in-a-lifetime event for this world, as NASA updated its predictions earlier this week: “The comet's orbit could take it completely out of the solar system.”

When will the comet be visible?

The comet came within about 44 million miles of Earth on October 12, 2024, NASA's Earth Observatory said.

Tsuchinshan ATLAS first appeared in the early night sky just after sunset this Saturday, deep in the west, Pitts said in an Instagram Reel. In the following evenings it moved higher into the sky and became more visible.

“At maximum visibility in the Northern Hemisphere, the brightness of Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is estimated to be between 2 and 4,” Watch the Skies said. “In comparison, the brightest visible star in the night sky, Sirius, has a magnitude of -1.46. The brightest solar reflection is Venus with a magnitude of -4. The International Space Station sometimes reaches a relative brightness of -6. “

According to NASA, the comet had a magnitude of 3.3 on October 15.

Since sunset occurs at 6:19 p.m. on Wednesday, the best time to go outside is between 6:50 and 7 p.m., NBC10 First Alert Weather meteorologist Bill Henley said. “Look to the western horizon where the comet will set.”

The comet continues to grow fainter as it moves further from the sun each night and should be out of sight by early November, astronomers said.

“And enjoy the view,” Cooke advised.

What are the best conditions to observe the comet?

“The comet's head – consisting of the nucleus and coma – as well as the tail should be visible again in clear, dark skies,” said Pitts.

Grab a compass to orient yourself.

“Choose a dark vantage point shortly after dark, Cooke recommended,” NASA said. “Looking southwest, about 10 degrees above the horizon, identify the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius. Tsuchinshan-ATLAS should be visible between them. Until October 14, the comet could remain visible midway between the bright star Arcturus and the planet Venus.

“Stars and comets will shine brighter against the dark sky backdrop, making this a near-ideal opportunity to see the comet, which occurs every 80,000 years,” Henley said.

Pitts advises grabbing binoculars “to follow the comet.”

Henley agrees: “For the best view, try to find a spot away from city lights to minimize light pollution. While the comet may be visible to the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope will give you a clearer and more detailed view, especially if you want to see its tail.

Now about this mega supermoon.

“Take care of yourself,” Henley said. “In addition to the comet, you should also check out the almost full Hunter's Moon rising in the eastern sky. It will be the brightest supermoon of the year. Although the moon won't be fully illuminated until Thursday morning, it will still be a spectacular sight on Thursday evening. Have fun watching!”

What is a Supermoon?

“The term 'supermoon' was coined in 1979 and is often used to describe what astronomers would call a perigee full moon: a full moon that occurs near or at the time when the moon is at the closest point in its orbit around the Earth,” NASA wrote.

“A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit comes closest to Earth (perigee) and the moon is simultaneously full,” NASA said.

Essentially, it appears to be a larger than usual full moon.

Why is this supermoon in October so great?

The names alone make this megamoon special. “The next full moon is a supermoon; the Hunter's Moon; the Traveling Moon, the Dying Grass Moon, or the Sanguine or Blood Moon; the beginning of Sukkot; Sharad Purnima, Kumara Purnima, Kojagari Purnima, Navanna Purnima Kojagrat Purnima or Kaumudi Purnima; the end of Vassa and Pavarana; the end of the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival;

The third supermoon of 2024 will come in at about 222,055 miles on Wednesday evening, making it appear even larger and brighter than previous supermoons in August and September.

“Scientists caution that only the keenest observers can spot the subtle differences,” the Associated Press reported. “It's easier to see the change in brightness – a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.”

When is the best time to see the October supermoon?

According to NASA, the moon will officially become full on Thursday morning (October 17, 2024) at 7:26 a.m. ET. However, the moon will be a “supermoon” and will reach perigee on Wednesday at 8:48 p.m. ET.

The best time to see it in all its glory is Wednesday night through Thursday morning before sunrise. Henley said the moon will rise in the east at 5:51 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

However, around that time, “it will appear to be full for about three days, from Tuesday evening to Friday morning,” Johnston said.

Could the moon actually deter the comet?

The moonlight will obscure some of the comet's visibility, Cooke told the Associated Press.

“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light makes it difficult to observe other objects. So it’s a little hard for us to wax poetic about it, even if it is the biggest supermoon of 2024,” he said in an email.

The biggest question: Will the weather over the Philadelphia region cooperate for the celestial double feature?

Simple answer: yes!

“Over the next few evenings, the weather will be near perfect for catching a rare glimpse of the comet lighting up the night sky,” said meteorologist Bill Henley. “A large area of ​​high pressure is developing in the Philadelphia area, bringing us clear skies and cold nights. This also reduces humidity and particles, giving us a clearer and sharper view of the night sky.”

“By the time the comet sinks below the horizon at 8:32 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, temperatures will fall to over 40°C. So make sure you dress warmly,” Henley said.

Don't worry if you miss the comet on Wednesday evening, as Henley says skies will remain clear for the next few days.

Enjoy!

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