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Here's how to see a once-in-a-lifetime comet from Texas this week: NASA

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Here's how to see a once-in-a-lifetime comet from Texas this week: NASA

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If you missed the rare comet sighting last night, don't worry – it will remain visible in parts of Texas for the next two weeks. But pay close attention to the viewing period, because once it disappears, it will not come back for tens of thousands of years!

Comet C/2023A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (pronounced Choo-cheen-rooster) is a rare, unique comet that is visible every 80,000 years. The comet, also called C/2023 A3 and Comet A3, was spotted in several US states over the weekend, including Texas.

This weekend is “one of the better times to spot it” because “it's out of the bright sunlight,” Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network .

NASA said the comet is expected to pass an estimated 44 million miles from Earth on Saturday, October 12. The comet could reportedly be seen with the naked eye, but binoculars may be required later in the month.

“It should also be visible through the rest of October, but the further it moves, the higher in the night sky but further from the sun, so less bright,” Schmoll said.

The comet passed closest to the sun at the end of September.

How to recognize the comet

Comet A3 can be observed on the western horizon after sunset. Binoculars or smartphone cameras with night mode can improve visibility. The comet will be distinguishable from stars because of its noticeable tail and the size it appears in the sky. Although stars are much larger than comets, Comet A3 will appear larger in the sky due to its proximity to Earth.

Of course, the viewing experience also depends on whether the sky is clear or cloudy and whether there are buildings or other structures obstructing the view.

While Comet A3 is expected to be visible until October 26, this week offers the best views of the rare phenomenon.

What does the name of the comet mean?

The now-appearing comet gets its name from those who first discovered it last year, the Tsuchinshan or “Purple Mountain” observatory in China and the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa, the Detroit Free Press reports.

— USA TODAY contributed to this report.

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