Minnesota is being treated to a rare viewing opportunity in the night sky as a comet can be seen by the naked eye, without any special equipment for a handful of days through the month of October.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (also known as C/2023 A3) was discovered just last year, and now it is close enough to get a good look in the sky without a telescope!
Not everyone around the planet is getting the same view of this comet, which comes around every 80,000 years. Thankfully, Minnesotans are in the group of people that can get a great view during the brief window it will be visible with the naked eye before it fades off into the distance of space.
If you're hoping to get out to see this rare spectacle, here's what you need to know.
The best window for viewing this rare comet just started on October 10 and runs through October 24. We're really at the heart of the best viewing without needing binoculars or a telescope, with the next few days being the best.
As time moves on through the viewing window, this comet will get smaller and harder to see with the naked eye.
The position for this comet will be slightly different each night, but the viewing time is pretty consistent.
Heading into twilight, 30-45 minutes after sunset each night will be the time to look. That means just after 7 pm is a great time to head out and look.
Look toward the western sky to see this comet. It will be in a different place each night, appearing higher in the sky and further south each night during the viewing window.
If you can find Venus, which appears as a bright star on the horizon in the evening, the comet will appear to the right of Venus, between it and the star Arcturus. Each night, it will be higher in the sky, appearing to be above Venus as we get near October 20.
The normal rules about seeing stuff in the night sky apply. Getting away from city lights can be very helpful.
Make sure you have a good, unobstructed view. Looking across a lake or a field toward the west will help eliminate trees or buildings as obstacles.
While you'll be able to see it with your bare eye, binoculars or a telescope will give you an even better viewing experience.
If your cell phone has a "night photography mode" (most newer phones have this), try taking a photo. This will a) give you a memory to keep and b) might give you an even better glimpse as your camera captures more light with a few-second exposure than your eyes can capture in real-time.