'Once-in-80,000-years' comet visible from Earth could shatter before reaching our planet

A celestial event so rare that it happens only once in 80,000 years may not be visible from Earth with the naked eye, latest studies have claimed. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), which was earlier expected to be visible from Earth, may disintegrate and shatter before approaching our planet in October, scientists have said.

Sky Walk

Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

C/2023 A3 was discovered for the first time on February 22 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope project in South Africa and later independently identified by astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory in China.

Also read: ¡®Devil Comet With Horns' Explodes In Space

Closest to Earth on October 12

In May this year, it was reported that Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which was far out beyond the orbit of Jupiter, some 680 million miles (1.09 billion km) from the sun when it was first sighted, was making its closest approach to the sun. It was estimated that on September 27, Tsuchinshan¨CATLAS would come to within 36 million miles (58 million km) of the sun and make a remarkably close approach to Earth on October 12 at a distance of approximately 43.9 million miles.

Flickr

This meant that Tsuchinshan¨CATLAS would shine brighter than stars in the night sky and would be visible to the naked eye.

Also read: Find Out How You Can Catch A Glimpse Of Centuries-Old Green Comet

May shatter before reaching Earth

However, a new study published this week noted that the comet is expected to disintegrate before reaching perihelion (the point at which it is closest to the sun). It noted that the comet's failure to brighten at a heliocentric distance exceeding 2 AU, about 160 days pre-perihelion, and reduced dust production raise concerns about its integrity.

Komet

According to researchers, the latest evidence suggests that the comet has entered an advanced phase of fragmentation, in which increasing numbers of dry, fractured refractory solids stay assembled in dark, porous blobs of exotic shape, becoming undetectable as they gradually disperse in space.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.