C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is the comet on everyone's lips this week, and the volume and quality of images of the comet we've received in our email inbox is unlike anything we've seen for some time!
We just had to share this particular image of Comet C/2023 A3, captured by Aldo Rocco Vitale from the Piano Vetore area of Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy.
It's one of our favourite images of the comet that we've received so far, since A3 began its autumnal appearance.
See more images of Comet C/2023 A3 and view some our favourites via our Instagram page.
Aldo captured this image of Comet C/2023 A3 from a height of 1,750 metres above sea level in the Piano Vetore region of Etna.
He used a QHY 294 C camera with Sharpstar 61 EDPH II lens on a Sky-Watcher EQM-35 mount and with Optolong L-Pro 2″ filters.
You can find out more about Aldo's capture details via his very thorough list at the bottom of this article.
Aldo is part of the Gruppo Astrofili Catanesi 'Guido Ruggieri', which is a group of amateur astronomers and astrophotographers based in Sicily, Italy.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was at its best around 12 October 2024 and is still very much visible in the sky, climbing higher and higher, but losing brightness as it does so.
You can find out more about how to see it in our guide to Comet C/2023 A3 in October, and how to capture it in our guide on how to photograph Comet A3.
If you do manage to capture an image of the comet, be sure to send us your images. We'd love to see them!
In the meantime, here is Aldo's capture data, so you can see how he did it.
- Temperature: 11°
- Humidity: 75%
- Seeing: 4
- Transparency: 4
- East. sky quality: 20.50 mag
- Bortle class: 4
- Constellation: Virgo
- Coordinates: RA: 14h 32m 23s; dec.: -0° 32′ 33″
- Visual magnitude: 0.5
- Angular dimensions: 5°
- Distance: 72.286 billion km
- Lens: Sharpstar 61 EDPH II; D = 61 mm; F = 274 mm; f/4.5
- Mount: Sky-Watcher EQM-35
- Camera: QHY 294 C
- Filters: Optolong L-Pro 2″
- Gain: 1600; OFS: 0; T: -10°
- Exposure: 25 x 60s (Total: 25m)
- Light: 25
- Flat: 25
- Dark: 100
- Bias: 100
- Editing software: Pixinsight
Have you got a Comet A3 story or image? Share with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
