'Comet of the Century' visible in Ireland tonight - best time and how to see giant space rock
The Comet - called C/2023 A3 or Tsuchinshan–ATLAS - will make its closest approach to Earth tonight, and you could get a good view of it in Ireland after sunset
Get your binoculars ready - tonight is Ireland's best opportunity since the deep Stone Age to catch a glimpse of the super rare 'Comet of the Century'.
This massive ball of ice, dust and rocks has been speeding towards us at over 60km/h for the past few weeks and will make its closest approach to Earth on Saturday night, reports Cork Beo.
Now, experts have revealed the optimal time for us to see it - and while sightings aren't guaranteed, it seems we're in with a very good chance in Ireland after sunset. And believe us, you don't want to miss this.
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By some calculations, this comet takes 80,000 years to complete its orbit around our solar system, so the last time it was seen above Earth was deep into the Stone Age. The comet - known as C/2023 A3 or Tsuchinshan–ATLAS - was at its brightest on Wednesday this week but was sadly obscured by glare from the sun.
Even still, it's already being dubbed the 'Comet of the Century' due to how large and bright it will appear later on Saturday and it's expected to move across the sky slowly, with a glowing 18-mile-long tail. Experts suggest we may be able to see the comet with the naked eye - but binoculars or a wide-field view telescope are recommended for a better view.
The latest forecasts show clear skies over Ireland this evening, so you shouldn't have to worry about clouds obstructing your view. Light pollution could still pose a problem though, so the darker your surroundings the better and it is strongly advised to wait until the sun has fully set before commencing your search for the comet to protect your eyes.
If you're lucky to catch a glimpse of the comet and are looking to capture a photo to mark the historic event, Dr Robert Massey from The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) has some advice, saying: "If you have a good mobile phone camera and a small telescope, you can hold the mobile phone against the eyepiece of the telescope and try to take a picture that way.
"That worked well with comets like NEOWISE and it might work well with this one, depending on how bright it is. And if it's genuinely easy to spot, you might, might be able to pick up your mobile phone, rest on something, and just point and shoot."
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