Wednesday, January 15, 2025
UPDATE: Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) has survived perihelion
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| Comet C/2024 G3 in the SOHO C3 imager on the 13 of January, blue filter. The tail structure is over exposed. the horizontal bar is over exposure artifact. | Comet C/2024 G3 in the SOHO C3 imager on the 13 of January, roughly the same time as the blue image, high resolution FITS image (I have adjusted brightness and contrast to bring out the tail structure) |
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| Animated GIF of Comet C/2024 G3 passing throuh the SOHO C3 imager on the 13-14 of January, blue filter. The tail structure is over exposed. the horizontal bar is over exposure artifact. | Comet C/2024 G3 in the STEREO Ahead H1 imager on the 14 of January, beacon image. The tail structure is over exposed. the vertical bar is over exposure artifact. |
Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) has survived perihelion. It is looking magnificent in the SOHO and STEREO spacecraft images. the high resolution FITS images from SOHO show finely detailed tail structure. people have been able to image it in daylight and I have seen magnitude estimates of between -5 and -2.5, if these hold up as it moves away from the sun, we may be able to see it low on the western horizon from the 16th on.
People have been reporting being able to photograph it 10 minutes after sunset in the US. See the table below for spotters charts (I am still using the old Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service's prediction suggesting a peak magnitude of around -1.4 so we may see something much brighter). We may even be able to see some tail after the comets head is below the horizon.
While this will not be another comet McNaught, Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) has a very good chance of being a wonderful object as it emerges from the twilight.
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| Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) as may be seen at civil twilight, 30 minutes after sunset (21:00 ACDST) for Adelaide on the 16th of January 2025. (similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 30 minutes after sunset click to embiggen) | Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) as may be seen at civil twilight, 30 minutes after sunset (21:00 ACDST) for Adelaide on the 18th of January 2025. (similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 30 minutes after sunset click to embiggen) | Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) as may be seen at civil twilight, 30 minutes after sunset (21:00 ACDST) for Adelaide on the 20th of January 2025. (similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 30 minutes after sunset click to embiggen) |
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| Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) will have set by the time nautical twilight occurs 60 minutes
after sunset on the 16rg. | Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) as may be seen at nautical twilight, 60 minutes after sunset (21:35 ACDST) for Adelaide on the 18th of January 2025. (similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 60 minutes after sunset click to embiggen) | Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) as may be seen at nautical twilight, 60 minutes after sunset (21:35 ACDST) for Adelaide on the 16th of January 2025. (similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 60 minutes after sunset click to embiggen) |
Labels: binocular, C/2023 G3, comet, unaided eye
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