A onceinalifetime comet is visible tonight across WNY
Oct 17, 2024
ROCHESTER NY (WROC) - Look west after sunset the next few nights and you will be able to spot the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as it moves through the orbit. This will be visible to the naked eye as our forecast keeps skies clear.
The best time will be after sunset, between about 6:30 and 7:30pm over the next few nights and into the weekend.
With strong high pressure setting up, the next several nights will be a fantastic opportunity to view Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas across the eastern half of the country. Head out after sunset and look westward. The comet will be naked eye visible once the sunset-kissed sky darkens.… pic.twitter.com/N1KXd0zI1l— Eric Snitil (@EricSnitilWx) October 17, 2024
This comet traveled from the outer reaches of our solar system and came within about 44 million miles to earth earlier this month.
Learn more about comets here
We will be able to see this comet over the next several days around Rochester. Your best way to view it will be with a telescope, then binoculars, then with the naked eye. Getting away from light pollution will also help.
EXPECTATION VS. REALITY: Stunning photos of our comet are already circulating around social media. Make no mistake, most of these images are legitimate. But they're also not representative of what most of you are going to see. While this comet does qualify as "naked eye"… pic.twitter.com/1RquKU1u6Y— Eric Snitil (@EricSnitilWx) October 17, 2024
We also had a supermoon as the full moon aligned with perigee in its orbit around earth.
Once the comet exits the solar system, it may never be able to be viewed again from earth as its forecast path does not have it returning.