The best time to catch a glimpse of a rare comet

A once-in-a-lifetime comet glided through the western skies this Thanksgiving.

On Monday, Manitobans caught a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also known as C/2023 A3, which is only seen once every 80,000 years.

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“Whether it’s been here before, whether we’re ever going to see it again, not clear,” said CTV’s science and technology specialist Dan Riskin.

Riskin explained the comet has been tumbling towards the sun for tens of thousands of years.

He added it did a close flyby of the sun on Sept. 27 and is now making its way back into deep space.

“As it passes the earth, we get a good look at it,” he said.

Comet C/2023 A3 is seen over Highway 317 in Manitoba on Oct. 14, 2024. (Len Kolton)

“And the sun is lighting it up. It’s melting the ice in this big, dirt snowball.”

Riskin said the closest the comet came to earth was on Oct. 12; however, it will be visible for the next little while.

For those who want to see it, he suggests waiting for the sun to go below the horizon.

“The trick is, as the sun sets, look towards that post-sunset sky as it dims and you’ll see Venus…just to the right of it, you’ll see the comet,” he said.

Riskin said the comet offers an opportunity for people to get outside and enjoy nature.

“It’s part of the natural sky.”

- With files from CTV’s Maralee Caruso.

Comet C/2023 A3 is seen over Winnipeg on Oct. 14, 2024. (Peter Zahradka)