Once in a lifetime, Comet Tsuchenshan-Atlas could be seen this week

Get out of there, Minnesota.

This may be the best week to see rare items Comet Tsuchenshan-Atlas. The comet reached its closest distance to Earth last weekend. It will rise slightly in the western sky each evening until October.

You should be able to see the comet with the naked eye. But a decent pair of binoculars will provide a better view.

The comet was discovered by two separate observatories. here More details from The Washington Post.

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas was identified in 2023 by two observatories that also bear the same name. China’s Zouchenshan (or “Purple Mountain”) Observatory and Atlas (The latest alert system for Earth’s asteroid impacts) A telescope in South Africa documented it for the first time in history as it approached the inner solar system.

The comet’s dense core is about a mile across. But the comet’s tail is 18 million miles long!

MPR News Editor Andrew Krueger took these photos a few days ago (click on the second image to see the comet high above the Schmidt’s Brewery sign):

Clear sky

Overall, skies will look mostly clear over Minnesota just after sunset on Tuesday.

Thursday night also looks mostly clear.

Good luck and happy comet watching!