The spectacular comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has “arrived” in Hajdú-Bihar County, showcasing its dazzling appearance.
Astrophotographer Sándor Csobán from the Hajdúság Regional Club of the Vega Astronomical Association was the first in the county to capture a professional astrophotograph of the C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) comet on the border of Hortobágy and Balmazújváros.
Technical Data:
– Equipment: Canon EOS 800D + Canon EOS 18-55mm + Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer + Viltrox remote shutter release
– Exposure Data:
– Sky: 10x30s
– Foreground: 1x60s
– 18mm
– ISO 400
– Software Used: Adobe Photoshop CC 2024 Beta
The comet was first detected by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on January 9, 2023. A few weeks later, on February 22, it was also discovered from the ATLAS project’s observatory in South Africa.
The comet reached perihelion (its closest point to the Sun) on September 27, roughly at a distance similar to Mercury’s orbit. After that, in early October, it was visible in the early morning sky. Astronomers from the Southern Hemisphere observed a long, 25-degree tail trailing behind the comet, visible even to the naked eye.
Between October 9-10, it will pass very close to the Sun in the sky, and from October 11, it will appear in the evening sky, favoring northern hemisphere observers, including us. Clear skies are forecasted in the coming days, making it an excellent opportunity to observe the comet from our county.
