A comet that hasn’t visited our solar system in about 5,500 years will
become visible to the naked eye later this month, gracing skies in the
northern hemisphere.
A comet that hasn’t visited our solar system in about 5,500 years will
become visible to the naked eye later this month, gracing skies in the
northern hemisphere.It is believed that the bright comet’s visit to our neighborhood may coincide with the coronavirus pandemic reaching its peak, reportsForbes.
Astronomers discovered Comet C-2019-Y4 (ATLAS)—or Comet Atlas, for
short—while working at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System
(Atlas) project in Hawaii.
The comet will be at its brightest at the end of April/beginning of May. Use this sky chart
to see where Comet Atlas is now and find it yourself with a telescope.
If we’re lucky, Comet Atlas will be visible with binoculars or the naked
eye on or around April 30. According to health.com, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimates the coronavirus pandemic will reach its peak in mid to late April.
It has been described as resembling a large and dirty snowball, but
astronomers are hoping the celestial body will put on a bright,
brilliant show—not unlike the Hale-Bopp comet which flew close to Earth
back in 1997.
