A 10 second exposed iPhone photo of Tsuchinshan–ATLAS Comet taken from Diefenbaker Park in Saskatoon overlooking the Gordie Howe Bridge. (Jeff Swick)

By Roman Hayter, CKOM News Staff

Look up: Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Comet passes earth every 80,000 years

Oct 15, 2024 | 4:00 PM

The northern lights have been very active this month, and just this weekend, there was a comet cutting across the sky.

The Tsuchinshan–ATLAS Comet only passes by our planet once every 80,000 years.

Jeff Swick is with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and he got to witness this weekend’s comet.

“Well, I knew it was in the sky, and I knew approximately where and when, and it was just a matter of driving out to the park, pointing in the right direction, leaning on my car with the binoculars, and finding it,” said Swick.

It’s unique due to the fact it can be seen with the naked eye. Usually comet’s need something like binoculars or a telescope to get a good look.

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“It’s an interesting thing to see. And when you see it in the sky, boy, it’s just so majestic,” said Swick.

A comet is an icy collection of materials that drift through space. They’re easily recognizable due to what looks like a tail that’s dragging behind it. This phenomenon is caused by the icy mass warming and releasing gases due to its proximity to the sun.

The Tsuchinshan–ATLAS Comet should be visible with the naked eye for the next few days, weather permitting.