Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a long-period comet discovered in early 2023 by the Tsuchinshan Observatory in China and the ATLAS survey project in Hawaii. It has drawn attention for its potential to become a bright object in the sky as it approaches the Sun. The comet’s path took it closest to the Sun (perihelion) in late September 2024, making it visible from Earth, especially in the southern hemisphere, and giving it a spectacular appearance. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time, and I captured it with two different optical instruments. The comet was very close to the sun, and two tails were visible on this specific day. The primary large tail is made of dust particles, which are frozen in the comet and evaporated by the sun. The secondary tail is on the other hand created by the UV light, which ionizes the gas blown off the comet, and the solar wind carries these ions straight out from the Sun to form the ion tail, which typically glows blue. This is exactly, what is visible on the following picture:
| Telescope | Askar ACL200 |
| Aperture | 50 mm |
| Focal length | 200 mm |
| Mount | iOptron HEM15 |
| Autoguiding | ZWO ASI485MC, QHY Mini Guide Scope |
| Camera | ZWO 6200MC @0°C |
| Exposure | 8x60s, Gain 100, bin 1×1, |
| Date | 2024-10-01 |
| Lens | Sigma 40 mm Art |
| Focal ratio | F 1.4 |
| Focal length | 40 mm |
| Mount | Tripod |
| Camera | Sony A7III astro-modified |
| ISO | 1600 |
| Exposure | 158x5s |
| Date | 2024-10-01 |
