Photographers have been capturing amazing images of Comet C/2023 A3. Here are some of the best we’ve seen
By Iain Todd
Published: Monday, 30 September 2024 at 10:12 AM
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is the comet on everyone’s lips at the moment, and over the past weekend photographers and comet-chasers were out in force capturing amazing images of it.
For those of us who’ve been eagerly awaiting the appearance of Comet A3 all year, October 2024 is the month when we’ll finally get to see whether it becomes a glorious naked-eye object.
And over the weekend of 27-29 September, many comet-chasers back on Earth were out catching a glimpse of the comet and photographing it.
Comet C/2023 reached perihelion on 27 September, which is the point in its orbit when it’s closest to the Sun.
The comet is now very close to the Sun in the sky, but will reemerge and become easier to observe mid-October, its separation from the Sun increasing as the month goes on.
Comet C/2023 A3 captured by Javier Falcón Quintana, over the mountains of Gran Canaria, Spain, 28 September 2024, 07:05am (UTC 1). Equipment: Canon EOS 6D (20MP full frame camera body), Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM lens, manual intervalometer and tripod, no filters. 50mm@ F/2.2, ISO 3200.
The comet’s closest approach to Earth occurs on 12 October, and the days following this date will be some of our best chances to see it.
While we wait for that time, we’re continuing to receive amazing images of Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS from photographers around the world.
Below is a gallery of some of the best we’ve received so far.
If you’ve been out and captured an image of comet A3, don’t forget to send us your images, and we’ll include our favourites in this very gallery.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) by Abhijit Patil, Lick Observatory, Mt. Hamilton, California, USA, 28 September 2024, 06:16. Equipment: Nikon Z6ii(Astromodded), Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8, Kolari Vision – UV/IR cut Ha bandpass filter. Comet tracked at f/2.8, 10sec, ISO100, 300mm. Foreground untracked at f/2.8, 25sec, ISO100, 300mm.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, captured by Grant Schwartzkopff, Paringa, South Australia, 28 September 2024, 04:35. Equipment: Nikon D5, 400MM Prime lens
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, captured by Grant Schwartzkopff, Paringa, South Australia, 28 September 2024, 04:35. Equipment: Nikon D5, 400MM Prime lens
Comet C/2023 A3 captured by Javier Falcón Quintana, over the mountains of Gran Canaria, Spain, 28 September 2024, 07:05am (UTC 1). Equipment: Canon EOS 6D (20MP full frame camera body), Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM lens, manual intervalometer and tripod, no filters. 50mm@ F/2.2, ISO 3200.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS near the village of Aguas Blancas, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay, dawn on September 28, 2024. Photo by MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP via Getty Images
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) over the skyscrapers of Madrid, Spain, known as the Four Towers Business Area. Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) over Molfetta, Italy, 28 September 2024, AROUND 06:00. Photo by Davide Pischettola/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS photographed by NASA astronaut Don Pettit from the International Space Station using a Nikon Z9 camera, 200mm f/2 lens, 1/8″, ISO 25600. Processed with Photoshop. Credit: NASA
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) from the Southern Hemisphere, captured 1 August 2024, 17: 49 UTC, by José J. Chambó. Credit: José J. Chambó (www.cometografia.es)
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) captured by José J. Chambo, remotely from Hakos Farm, Namibia, 26 June 2024, 18:03 UTC.Equipment: Moravian C3-61000 camera, Takahashi FSQ106-ED f/5.0 refractor, ASA DDM60 Pro mount. Exposure: 18 min. (L=5×180 bin1 RGB=1×60 bin2). Processed with PixInsightCredits: José J. Chambó (www.cometografia.es)”Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) south of the constellation Leo on 26 June 2024, among heaps of distant galaxies, some with peculiar shapes. The comet shows a certain greenish hue in this image obtained remotely from the southern hemisphere, from where it will still be observable for a few more weeks before it plunges into the twilight and won’t be observable again until October.”
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) captured by José J. Chambo from Vallés, Valencia, Spain on 8 May 2024 at 21:53 UTC. Equipment: Atik 383L camera, TS-Photon 8-inch f/3.6 Newtonian, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro mount. Exposure 34 min. (L=31×60 bin1 RGB=1×60 bin2). Processed with PixInsight. Credit: José J. Chambó (www.cometografia.es)
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) captured by José J. Chambó on 2 May 2024 from Vallés, Valencia, Spain. Equipment: Atik 383L camera, TS-Photon 8-inch f/3.6, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro mount. Exposure” 47 min. (L=44×60 bin1 RGB=1×60 bin2)José says: Comet C/2023 A3 shows a brightness that has remained at magnitude 10.5, the same as I recorded three weeks ago. However, the angular length of its tail has doubled, from 2.5′ to 5′, probably due to the increase in the phase angle, which implies that we now observe it more from the side. In the image, the comet’s tail can be clearly seen extending to the left, with a bright and well-defined coma. This pause in the increase of brightness is common in comets visiting the inner Solar System for the first time. Hopefully, it will soon resume its brightening trend.”Credit: José J. Chambó (www.cometografia.es)
Image of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) captured from Kendal, Cumbria, 17 April 2024 by Stuart Atkinson. Equipment: Canon 700D DSLR camera, 300mm lens, iOptron Sky Tracker motorised mount.
