GALLERY: “Comet of the Century” lights up Lowcountry sky

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A rare comet, not to be seen for another 80,000 years, is visible in the Lowcountry sky for a short time in October.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or C/2023 A3, was first detected in January 2023 by the Tsuchinshan Observatory in China and an an ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in South Africa, where it got its name.

Coming from the Oort Cloud, which is a large shell of icy debris in outer solar space, the comet, primarily made of dust, ice, and rock, was seen in the Southern Hemisphere and Tropics until October 8, according to NASA.

Visibility in the Northern Hemisphere peaked on October 12, but the comet and its long dust tail will remain seeable until October 21. However, the sight will fade over time as it moves farther from the Earth.

A second tail, called the ion tail, may be faintly observed. Some have dubbed the spectacle the “Comet of the Century” due to its reoccurrence time frame.

Gazers can look west between Venus and Arcturus about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset to view the comet.

Below are photos from around the Lowcountry on October 13.