Two astrophotography enthusiasts from Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala have managed to snap images of the long-period comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), which is currently visible in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
Fahd Bin Abdul Hasis and Kiran Mohan, scientists at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facility, took snaps of the comet early morning on Tuesday from Enikkara, Karakulam, where they live.
Discovered in 2023, Comet C/2023 A3 is special in that once it vanishes from the earth’s skies, it is not expected to return for at least 80,000 years. But its orbital path is yet to be fully determined, according to Mr. Hasis.
“It is one of the brightest comets that we have seen in the last decade or so. To people with good eyesight, it is also visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy ball,” Mr. Hasis said. The duo used a Z 6II camera equipped with a Samyang 135 mm lens to click the comet. “We could clearly see it using a binocular. We also took some snaps using our mobile phone cameras as well,” he said.
The comet will be visible to the east just before sunrise for one or two days more. It will be visible in the western sky after October 12 after sunset. In the subsequent days, it will start to fade for observers on earth.
Published - October 02, 2024 09:20 pm IST
