Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–Atlas) sighted multiple times in Qatar

Doha: Skygazers in Qatar have been captivated by the rare Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan Atlas), which has made multiple appearances in the night sky si...

Doha: Skygazers in Qatar have been captivated by the rare Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–Atlas), which has made multiple appearances in the night sky since last week. 

This comet, last seen during the Neanderthal era, made its closest transit past the sun on September 27, prompting worldwide monitoring by astronomers.

According to NASA, as a comet approaches the sun, it heats up, causing its icy core to turn into gas. This process creates a glowing coma and a long tail. While some comets disintegrate during such encounters, Tsuchinshan-Atlas successfully survived.

After surviving its solar encounter, Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas passed closest to Earth on October 12, at a distance of about 70 million kilometers. Since then, it has become visible in the evening sky.

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