Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: new images – 03 June 2024.
We continue our follow-up of comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, while it slowly approaches the Sun. Please find below a couple of new images
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: 03 June 2024.
The image above comes from the sigma-clipping combination of eleven, 300-second exposures, unfiltered and unguided, remotely taken with the Celestron C14+Paramount ME+SBIG ST8-XME robotic unit available as part of the Virtual Telescope Project. The telescope tracked at the motion rates of the comet. Very good sky conditions.
We also checked the likely presence of a faint ion tail, as the original, unprocessed image shows like a “central axis” suggesting it is an hint of that kind of tail.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, 3 June 2024: further analysis.
The image above used the same frame set as before, but this time the main image shows the comet after simple linear adjustments, with no extreme stretching; on the bottom-right insert, the image was log-scaled, then wavelet analysis was performed, likely showing a narrow, ion tail.
We also managed to image this comet with the ARTEC250+Paramount ME+C3Pro61000EC robotic unit: the image below comes from the sigma clipping combination of 25, 120-second unfiltered exposures, taken under very good sky conditions.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: 03 June 2024.
It s interesting to compare images collected during our follow-up activities.
Comet C/2023 A3 was discovered on 9 Jan. 2023. Since it was announced, this icy world showed the potentially to reach naked eye visibility late in Sept. 2024, with chances to be remarkable. At the moment, the comet is somewhat underperforming, so closer monitoring is needed to better evaluate its future visibility.
We will continue following up this promising comet and will schedule a live feed in due time.
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