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Comet of the century: Pictures from around the UK of Comet A3

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1 month ago

October 13, 2024

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Comet of the century: Pictures from around the UK of Comet A3

Martin Cohen Warsash beach at 19:30 BST on October 12th. A number of large ships are visible in the foreground, with the comet visible streaking through the twilight blue sky in the distance — Martin Cohen said he took this picture from Warsash beach, in Hampshire, at 19:30 BST on Saturday

People from around the UK have been taking pictures of the “comet of the century”, which was spotted streaking across the sky on Saturday night.

Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was last month seen from Earth for the first time since the Neanderthals were alive, some 80,000 years ago.

On Saturday, a number of British stargazers said they had spotted the object, after the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) predicted it might be visible to the naked eye.

Most images show the comet as a bright streak of light, similar to a torch, on the horizon.

Other pictures show a trail in the sky similar to what you might see coming out of an airplane.

Below are a selection of the best shots so far.

Arash Sefidgaran told us: “Finally after weeks of waiting for the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet to be visible at higher latitudes like London, I managed to view and capture this stunning sight today, 12 October”

Arash Sefidgaran A blue sky, with a yellow haze underneath, above a number of trees. In the yellow haze, there is a streak of bright light. — Arash Sefidgaran told us: “Finally after weeks of waiting for the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet to be visible at higher latitudes like London, I managed to view and capture this stunning sight today, 12 October”

Meryl Goulbourne says she took this shot at 19:35 from the top of Butser Hill, near Clanfield, Hampshire

Meryl Goulbourne A long-distance shot of a dark night sky from a hilltop, with a bright light streaking away from the camera. — Meryl Goulbourne says she took this shot at 19:35 from the top of Butser Hill, near Clanfield, Hampshire

Martin, who sent the image above, said: “It was a very narrow window of time between it being dark enough to see (the comet) and it disappearing below the horizon!”

Martin Cohen A light night sky with a bright beam of light, with a dark cloud. — Martin, who sent the image above, said: “It was a very narrow window of time between it being dark enough to see (the comet) and it disappearing below the horizon!”

The Nasa Earth Observatory had predicted the comet could come within about 70 million km (44 million miles) of Earth on Saturday.

The RAS added the comet would be visible in the northern hemisphere from Saturday night until 30 October – and the object was later pictured in skies above the USA on Saturday.

The comet was photographed in Spain, Italy, Uruguay, and Indonesia from late September to early October, when it was visible in the southern hemisphere.

The Comet was also visible in South Carolina, USA, shortly after sunset local time on Saturday, in the western sky over the Lake Murray Dam Hydroelectric Intake Towers near Columbia

Reuters A building at the edge of a lake and then a settlement on the far side under an orange hue in the sky. Just above, in a bluer, higher portion of the sky, light from a comet can be seen. — The Comet was also visible in South Carolina, USA, shortly after sunset local time on Saturday, in the western sky over the Lake Murray Dam Hydroelectric Intake Towers near Columbia

The comet as seen from Temisas, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain on 28 September

Reuters A streak of yellow light far away in the night sky, against a yellow haze. — The comet as seen from Temisas, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain on 28 September

This image was taken before dawn on 29 September from Mount Bromo in East Java, Indonesia

Getty Images A mountainous region against a night sky backdrop, with a clear, long bright streak of light heading from top to bottom. — This image was taken before dawn on 29 September from Mount Bromo in East Java, Indonesia

RAS said the object has been called the “comet of the century” because of its impressive brightness and visibility.

The organisation’s Dr Robert Massey advised enthusiasts to go out “immediately after sunset” with a pair of binoculars, head for higher ground and look west towards the horizon.

He suggested avoiding areas where views of the sky are obstructed and bringing a hot drink.

Dr Massey said a DSLR camera could capture shots of the comet, but said holding a mobile phone camera up against the eyepiece of a small telescope could also snap the space event.

On Thursday, the UK’s skies were once again treated to a display from the Northern Lights.