A comparatively newly discovered comet makes for a tantalizing skywatching goal this summer.
Comet C/2023 E1 ATLAS was discovered in March 2023 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), which is funded by NASA and operated by the University of Hawaii. This array of 4 telescopes unfolded in Hawaii, Chile and South Africa scans the sky for near-Earth objects to be able to warn of any potential hazards heading Earth’s way.
While not particularly vivid, the comet can be fairly easy to identify for Northern Hemisphere skywatchers, high within the skies throughout the summer near Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper. Comet E1 ATLAS reaches perihelion, its closest point to the sun, on July 1.
Related: Comets: Every little thing it’s essential to know concerning the ‘dirty snowballs’ of space
By the point July’s latest moon arrives on July 17, the comet can be approaching its maximum brightness and may have moved eastward toward the constellation Cephus, the Whale. In case you go in search of the comet yourself, don’t expect to see a vivid green snowball with a well-pronounced tail; through most backyard optics, the comet will likely appear as a hazy, greenish smudge.
When comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) was discovered, it was quite faint at just magnitude +19 (the lower the magnitude, the brighter the thing). It has since brightened to around magnitude +10, enough to be spotted with binoculars and most medium-sized telescopes, but still too dim to be seen with the unaided eye. The comet is predicted to achieve a maximum magnitude of +8 or +9, still fairly dim in comparison with many other night sky sights.
Nevertheless, comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) has proven photogenic to patient astrophotographers. Austria-based comet hunter and astrophotographer Michael Jäger has imaged C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) on multiple occasions, and has been in a position to capture its somewhat dim tail:
Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) 2023 june 15 22.20 UT LRGB 1300/240/240/240sec 12″/4 Moravian G3-16200 2x2bin Michael Jäger pic.twitter.com/Dc3J5MsPxLJune 16, 2023
In a 100-minute exposure taken on June 18, Jäger captured a picture that shows the comet’s motion relative to the background behind it.
Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) 2023 june 18 22.30 UT 100min 14″/4.2 QHY600 Michael Jäger pic.twitter.com/n0aHYa7Lx4June 19, 2023
Astrophotographer and astronomy educator Dave Eagle caught a picture of the comet on June 26 from Raunds, England.
One other comet is visible, this time in Ursa Minor.That is Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) taken early this morning.A really faint tail is visible in the unique image.One other almost all-nighter, and a busy day, so fuzzy-headed, drained and forgot the date. Now corrected. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/B17N1hYkiAJune 26, 2023
And comet hunter and amateur astronomer Taras Prystavski imaged the comet from the Great Basin Desert in Utah on June 23, showing the comet’s characteristic green glow in clear detail.
Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS)2023 Jun. 23.23 UT Dia.=&10.2′ Tail=&25′ in PA 119 deg… [T68] 0.28-m f/2.2 RASA astrograph + CMOS… iTelescope observatory, U94 (remotely from Great Basin Desert, Beryl Junction, Utah, USA) pic.twitter.com/rlIkbHZJFTJune 24, 2023
Wish to see comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) or capture stunning your personal images of comets and other objects within the night sky? Our guides on the best telescopes and best binoculars will help.
Learning concerning the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography may also help capture incredible deep-sky sights.