GREENSBORO, N.C. — Our beautiful weather lately really has been nice, and it has made it even easier to see some neat things in the sky, like the northern lights last Thursday. Now, we've got the chance to see a rare comet in the sky the next couple of nights.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas is a huge comet, with an almost 2-mile wide (in diameter) head and potentially an 18-million-mile tail. Bottom line, this one is easy to see, even with the naked eye.
The comet made its closet pass to earth on Saturday but could still be seen in the evening over the next couple of weeks, after sunset. It will get higher on the horizon and little bit later each night. This will be the best week to spot the comet.
Our WFMY News 2 Weather Spotter, Dwayne Young got a gorgeous view of the comet from Lawsonville, in Stokes County Saturday night.
For the best viewing, head outside right after sunset. It's best to find an open space and get away from city lights, to see it the best. Look low on the western horizon and have some patience. As long as we have nice weather and mostly clear skies, it should be easy to see over the next week. Later in the month, it will get higher in the sky and start to fade, so it won't be as easy to see.
Try your luck the next few nights!