Bengaluru residents were recently treated to a spectacular celestial display as the rare comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS graced the skies after an 80,000-year absence. The non-periodic comet, also known as C/2023 A3, dazzled the electronic city with vivid hues of pink, green, and yellow, leaving the public in awe and filling social media with mesmerizing pictures and videos.
Astrophotographers revealed that this breathtaking phenomenon, seen on Monday, September 30, was not just an ordinary atmospheric event but a rare cosmic visitor making its way through the solar system after millennia. Discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory in China on January 9, 2023, the comet was later independently observed by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa, lending the comet its name.
As Bengaluru residents gazed up at the striking colors illuminating the night sky, many took to social media to express their amazement. One user tweeted, “Bengaluru skies being just magical! What is this phenomenon even called?” Others drew comparisons to the Northern Lights, with swirling bands of light typically seen near the poles.
Unlike predictable comets such as Halley’s Comet, Tsuchinshan–ATLAS is non-periodic and unpredictable, making its sighting all the more special for sky-watchers in Bengaluru. The comet, currently located in the Sextans constellation, is approximately 129.6 million kilometers away from Earth, according to astrophotographer Upendra Pinnelli, as reported by Deccan Chronicle.
The good news is that residents of Hyderabad also had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of this cosmic marvel until October 2, marking a once-in-a-lifetime experience for astronomy enthusiasts across India.