Astronomy

October's supermoon pairs with a once-in-a-lifetime comet for rare nighttime spectacle

The Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet is still in the neighborhood and will wow stargazers in the North Hemisphere after making an appearance in the Southern Hemisphere over the weekend.

NBC Universal, Inc. Taylor’s comet photo from Benbrook Lake and Bob’s photo from New Fairview were featured during the comet sightings segment on Oct. 15, 2024.

The biggest full moon of 2024 will light up the night sky on Wednesday night. And in a rare celestial event, October's supermoon will make an appearance alongside a comet for a rare stargazing two-for-one.

Known as the Hunter's moon, because of the autumn hunting season, the October moon will be 222,055 miles away from Earth on Wednesday night, "which is considerably closer than the average Earth-to-Moon distance of 239,000 miles — making it a supermoon," according to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

While a supermoon isn't bigger, it appears that way due to its proximity to Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year.

And in a twist of comic fate, the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet is still in the neighborhood and will wow stargazers in the North Hemisphere after making an appearance in the Southern Hemisphere over the weekend.

Two Oort Cloud comets are making a pass through the solar system for the first time in documented human history.

What time is the Supermoon?

The moon will officially turn full at 7:26 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 17. However, the moon will be a "supermoon," arrive at perigee, its closest point to Earth, at 8:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday evening.

It’s classified as a “supermoon” because it will be about 30% brighter than an average full moon due to its closer orbit to the Earth.

When can you see the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet?

If you want to a once-in-lifetime comet, time is running out.

The comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas first appeared on Saturday, Oct. 12 and will be visible through the end of the month, according to NASA. However, as the days pass, the comet will appear dimmer and become harder to see with the naked eye. That's because the comet will become higher in the sky each night as it moves away from the sun and out of the solar system.

On Wednesday night, sky gazers will have another chance to see the comet when appears in the night sky about 45 minutes after sunset. Astronomers say for the best view, head outside just after sunset and look just above the horizon.

And while the supermoon's moonlight may wash out some of the comet’s tail, it’s still worth a look after sunset, NASA's Bill Cooke told The Associated Press.

“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light messes up observing other objects. So it’s a bit hard for us to wax poetic about it even if it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024,” he said.

NASA said the comet last passed by Earth 80,000 years ago and may never return as the latest data shows its path may take it out of the solar system altogether.

bob hatfield
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was taken with Nikon ZF camera and 50mm f1.4 Sigma art lens. 4 Second exp. 400 ISO Oct 16,2024 from road by hayfield in New Fairview Texas. Processed in Pixinsight with blur and noise Xterminator.
Brad McGavock
Brad McGavock
Godley, TX
Brad McGavock
Brad McGavock
Godley, TX
Alex Sabatini
Taken north of Ivanhoe TX with a Nikon Z6ii and a 50mm 1.8 lens on Sunday 10/13
Alexander Sabatini

Name : Alex Sabatini
Equipment : Nikon Z6ii, Nikon 50mm 1.8
Location : FM2554 , North of Ivanhoe
Alexander Sabatini

Name : Alex Sabatini
Equipment : Nikon Z6ii, Nikon 50mm 1.8
Location : FM2554 , North of Ivanhoe
Alexander Sabatini

Name : Alex Sabatini
Equipment : Nikon Z6ii, Nikon 50mm 1.8
Location : FM2554 , North of Ivanhoe
Alexander Sabatini

Name : Alex Sabatini
Equipment : Nikon Z6ii, Nikon 50mm 1.8
Location : FM2554 , North of Ivanhoe
Patrick McMahon
4 second picture of the comet taken at Dinosaur Valley State Park on 10/13.
Skinness-Lawson, Mary
[tint-NBC_DFW] [EXTERNAL] Tonight’s comet
Laura Lynn Stroud
Both pics taken on 10/14/24 in Dublin, TX.
Adam Reynolds
This is Comet A3 on the night of 10/13 at 7:59PM. Best visibility for this comet is from 10/14 to 10/24. Hopefully Kevan can use if during one of his Astronomy segments!
Bob Hatfield
Comet taken from new Fairview Texas on October 14 with Nikon d810 camera 50 mm lens.
Arthur Welborn
Picture taken last night from Farmersville.
drjimcato@aol.com
I took this picture at approximately 8:05 pm tonight of the comet in the low western sky . The picture was taken from my ranch just outside Granbury  
Dr. Jim Cato Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
dhennig.1007
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphonePhoto— Dr.Joe McWherter Location— Walling Bend, Lake Whitney, Bosque County
Danny Voth
Western sky near Muenster
Larry Groebe
I actually couldn’t see it, but my new iPhone does such an amazing job with night mode that it found the comet quite clearly.
Domingo Rodriguez
The comet as seen from in front of my home near Lake Worth, TX, around 8:05 pm.
Keith Stolarek
We took this photo from Terlingua (ten bits ranch) last evening 10/13/2024. I have more on my camera. Keith Stolarek
Keith Stolarek
We took this photo from Terlingua (ten bits ranch) last evening 10/13/2024. I have more on my camera. Keith Stolarek
Keith Stolarek
We took this photo from Terlingua (ten bits ranch) last evening 10/13/2024. I have more on my camera. Keith Stolarek
Keith Stolarek
We took this photo from Terlingua (ten bits ranch) last evening 10/13/2024. I have more on my camera. Keith Stolarek
Bob Hatfield
Comet from new Fairview Texas on 10-15 with Nikon zf camera 50 mm lens. Comet is fading but difficult with naked eye with moonlight also hindering visibility.
Lynda Elliott
This is the October 2024 comet. Taken on Sunday, Oct 14 from Augie’s Sunset Cafe at Eagle Mountain Lake.
Pennye Shockey
The attached picture was taken by my son Jonathan in  Shallowater TX 10-14-2024 Pennye Shockey
Jerry Webber
Comet on cellphone photograph taken 15 miles southwest of Cleburne, about
30 minutes after sunset.
Best regards,
Jerry Webber
Cleburne Tx
Jerry Webber
Comet on cellphone photograph taken 15 miles southwest of Cleburne, about
30 minutes after sunset.
Best regards,
Jerry Webber
Cleburne Tx
Jerry Webber
Comet on cellphone photograph taken 15 miles southwest of Cleburne, about
30 minutes after sunset.
Best regards,
Jerry Webber
Cleburne Tx
Jerry Webber
Comet on cellphone photograph taken 15 miles southwest of Cleburne, about
30 minutes after sunset.
Best regards,
Jerry Webber
Cleburne Tx
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Where did comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas come from?

Comets are frozen leftovers from the solar system’s formation billions of years ago. As they swing toward the sun, they heat up and release their characteristic streaming tails.

The comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, also designated C/2023 A3, was discovered last year and is named for the observatories in China and South Africa that spied it.

It came from what’s known as the Oort Cloud well beyond Pluto. Several comets are discovered every year, but many burn up near the sun or linger too far away to be visible without special equipment, according to Larry Denneau, a lead researcher with the Atlas telescope that helped discover the comet, the AP reported.

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