By Pete Lawrence
Published: Thursday, 31 October 2024 at 10:11 AM
What we can expect from Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in November 2024
Last month was the big one for C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, the comet appearing in the post-sunset sky after its closest encounter with the Sun, but it will still be visible in November 2024.
Everything went to plan and Comet A3 was a naked-eye object from mid-October.
It didn’t evaporate into a cloud of dust, as was the case for the much-hyped C/2012 S1 ISON back in 2013
So in November 2024, comet C/2023 A3 will be in a good position for observing as it appears to track eastwards above the west-southwest horizon.
Read our comet A3 beginner’s guide, see the best comet A3 images.
Where to find Comet A3 in November
During November 2024, comet C/2023 A3 moves from a location off the eastern shoulder of Ophiuchus, beginning near the V-shaped asterism known as Poniatowski’s Bull and heading towards Aquila the Eagle.
It ends the month tucked under the eagle’s western wing.
You might associate Aquila more with summer and you’d be right, but the increased length of darkness at this time of year keeps the constellation conveniently visible throughout the whole of November.
Comet C/2023 A3 will be fading throughout November and is expected to appear with an integrated magnitude of +6.0 on 1 November, fading to a predicted magnitude of +9.3 by the month’s end.
At this level of brightness, it remains viable for binoculars until mid-month; small telescopes will keep it in view all month long.
As it heads east during November, the comet passes into the band of the Milky Way, being near to open clusters IC 4665 in late October and IC 4756, together with NGC 6633, in the first half of November.
At the end of the month, it’s near cluster NGC 6755.
If you observe or photograph the comet in November 2024, let us know! Email contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com