There are due to be a number of interesting and bright comets on view in 2024, namely 62P/Tsuchinshan, 144P/Kushida, C/2021 S3 PanSTARRS, 12P/Pons–Brooks and C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS.
A ‘bright comet’ typically means an object visible through binoculars or a small telescope.
Two of these are may also be naked-eye comets in 2024, one dim and one possibly not so dim!
2024 is set to be a great year for comets, if all goes to plan, and there are several visitors from deep space set to grace our skies this year.
But will we get a showstopper?
Find out what comets and asteroids are visible tonight
Shining at mag. 7.2 in early January 2024, 62P/Tsuchinshan passes from Leo into Virgo and is one of the first comets to kick off the year.
Comet 62P/Tsuchinshan dims to eighth magnitude at the start of February 2024 and ninth by the end, but has the virtue of moving very slowly against the background stars.
Ninth-magnitude 144P/Kushida is a really well-placed evening comet; starting just south of Uranus, it passes across the Hyades during February.
Then at the end of March, mag. 8.3 C/2021 S3 PanSTARRS will cross the Coathanger Cluster.
Comet 12P/Pons–Brooks is an early evening comet in March 2024, skirting the twilight after sunset later in the month.
Passing from Andromeda through northern Pisces and into Aries, it may become a dim naked-eye object.
In the autumn, there’s C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, which will swing through perihelion on 27 September 2024 and is best seen from the UK in the early evening October sky.
It may possibly become a naked-eye spectacle. Only time will tell!
Are you a comet hunter? If you manage to observe and photograph some of 2024's best comets, let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com.
