Ekatersinburg residents will see the Atlas comet in 135,000 years—if the Sun doesn’t vaporize it first!

This is a photograph of another comet, "Hyakutake," taken in 1999.

Photo: Anatoly ZHDANOV. Go to the KP Photo Bank

Everyone has heard of Halley's comet, which visits us every 75 years. However, few know about an even rarer visitor – comet Atlas (C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)), which makes an appearance once every half a million years. It was discovered only last year. In the coming days – from January 10 to 18 – it will once again approach the sun. So theoretically, we may be able to see it.

HOW TO OBSERVE THE COMET

We used the word "theoretically" because spotting it will be quite challenging. It shines brightly, almost as bright as Venus. The issue is that it is currently passing close to the sun. Therefore, we can only see it when the sun itself is visible. It is worth noting that looking directly at the sun is dangerous for your eyes.

- It may be possible on January 12, when the weather is clear, to block the sun with your hand and look to the right, about four degrees northwest of the sun, where we might spot this object, - clarifies Vladilen Sanakoev, an engineer at the Ural Federal University Observatory. – Additionally, on January 14, after sunset, we might see it low on the horizon. However, this is best observed near the equator.

WHAT IS COMET ATLAS?

In size, it is comparable to Halley's comet, with a diameter of about 10 kilometers. So, it is quite large. It is named after the ATLAS robotic telescopes that discovered it on April 5, 2024. It is composed of ice.

- Typically, it returns once every half a million years. However, it has changed its orbit, so it may return in just 135,000 years, - adds Vladilen Sanakoev. - But whether it will survive such a close approach to the sun is a big mystery. Many astronomers believe it will likely turn into a cloud of dust, and we will never see it again.

The fact is that on January 13, it will come within just 14 million kilometers of the sun. This is 3-4 times closer than the distance from the sun to Mercury. Our celestial body could simply vaporize this chunk of ice that has been traveling through the Galaxy for millions of years.

WHERE DID THE COMET COME FROM?

From the hypothetical Oort cloud – a region from which many comets originate.

- Dutch astrophysicist Jan Oort proposed that somewhere far away, about 100,000 astronomical units away, practically in interstellar space, there exists a cloud of icy bodies and frozen gases, - explains Vladilen Sanakoev. – No one has observed this cloud, but it is clear that comets are coming to us from afar. Moreover, they have a speed that suggests they are bound to the sun.

According to experts, disturbances in this cloud periodically occur, causing comets to change their trajectory and rush into the area closest to us – towards the sun. Some comets do not survive this close approach and vanish. Others, like Halley's comet, return to visit us time and again.

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