A comet discovered last year — known as C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS — is set to make a close approach to Earth in the coming days.

The dazzling Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is emerging in the night sky: How to see it Astronomers just discovered a comet that could be brighter than most stars when we see it next year. Or will it?

Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also known as Comet C/2023 A3, will be at its brightest, and likely visible to the naked eye, for a week or two after October 12, the day it’s closest to Earth—just look to ...

Earth-based observers looking to the night sky may be treated to a rare sight in autumn 2024. Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which likely traveled from the outer reaches of our solar system, made its closest transit past the Sun on September 27 and was expected to come within approximately 70 million kilometers (44 million miles) of Earth on October 12.

A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, gravitationally unbound atmosphere or coma surrounding the nucleus, and sometimes a tail of gas and dust gas blown out from the coma.

The comet, called Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or Comet C/2023 A3, was discovered last year and may offer viewers a once-in-a-lifetime sighting before potentially making a comeback in another 800...

Scientists are excited to begin capturing Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as the object is expected to soon be very bright in the night sky.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will have a close encounter with the sun today (Sept. 27) here's how to make the most of comet viewing opportunities this weekend and beyond.

Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun. When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit brings it close to the Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets. The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of ...