Comet Chasing

One of the main celestial events of October 2024 was the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C2023 A3). It’s said to be from the Oort Cloud and has an orbital period of 80,000 years. For a few nights, this large mass of dust and ice travelling through outer space was visible near the horizon for a short time just after sunset, so timing was critical as well as finding a location with an unobstructed flat view.

Unlike the stationary astronomy activities at home, comet-chasing brings its own level of preparation and excitement. You gear up and head out, sometimes having to adapt, and make on-the-spot decisions in order to achieve your target.

This particular night was very clear and peaceful, and I was able to take in the magnitude of what I was witnessing. I had my trusty binoculars with me, and they offered a spectacular and surreal view of the comet. I often enjoy the planets and  constellations and I am quite unaccustomed to seeing a comet in the night sky. As you can see from the photographs, its dust tail was quite magnificent!

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, it was great crossing paths with you, and now we must both continue on our important journeys.

Irshaad

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