"Friends of other humankind" are about to return to Earth's skies.

(NLĐO) - From the "dark side" of the solar system, an object that once visited when Earth still had many different human species has returned.

According to calculations, comet C/2023 A3 - also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS - will reach perigee (the point closest to Earth) on October 12th, after 80,000 years of being out of sight.

C/2023 A3 has its "home" in the Oort Cloud, often referred to as the "dark side" of the solar system, an outer ring of asteroids and icy comets.

Comet C/2023 A3 will once again shine in the Earth's sky - Graphic image: SCITECH DAILY

According to SciTech Daily, during the observable period – from perihelion (closest to the Sun on September 27) until November 2 – this comet could reach a brightness comparable to that of the North Star.

Some calculations even suggest that there will be periods when it shines as brightly as the Evening Star (the two other names for the planet Venus).

This brightness is due to the sublimation phenomenon that occurred on the celestial body as a result of its intense close approach to the Sun.

The actual image was captured by observatories when the comet from the Oort Cloud was still relatively far away - Photo: UNITELLAR

This fascinating object was discovered by modern humans in early 2023 by observatories in South Africa and China and quickly sparked intense interest within the astronomical community.

In fact, humanity once witnessed it, perhaps much more clearly than we do today, under a much clearer sky 80,000 years ago, when our ancestors shared the planet with many other human species.

According to scientist Franck Marchis, co-founder of the Unistellar astronomy community and Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute (USA), if this comet survives perihelion, it will become one of the brightest objects visible in the Northern Hemisphere.

Therefore, C/2023 A3 could become one of the most important astronomical objects of the decade, especially as it provides a "window" for us to better understand the mysterious Oort Cloud.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ban-cua-loai-nguoi-khac-sap-tro-lai-bau-troi-trai-dat-196240929090449569.htm