PHOTOS: It was pretty dim, but comet graced sky viewers Tuesday night

It wasn’t easy to spot, but those that waited until dark, braved the chilly temperatures and knew where to look, were able to see the faint but visible comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Tuesday night, October 15, 2024.

Settled half way between Venus to the left and the star Arcturus in the west sky, the comet battled to be seen over the 97% full moon to the east and the freshly set sun to the west.

You needed to really let your eyes adjust to see the “smudge of light” as some described it.

If you saw it and/or photographed it, congratulations. This comet only comes around every 80,000 years, give or take a couple years.

With its closest approach to Earth occurring on October 12, the comet is currently at a distance of 45 million miles away. The viewing period for comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS began on Friday, Oct. 11 and is set to continue through Monday, Oct. 21, before it fades from naked eye visibility. The comet is getting a little dimmer and higher in the sky each night. You may have one more good chance to see the comet Wednesday night between 7:15 PM and 8 PM before the full moon rises too high in the sky.

Like the northern lights, a camera on a tripod with a several second exposure is the best way to see and document the comet. These photos were taken by KFIZ News Director Doug Raflik overlooking the Horicon Marsh.