MN Stargazers: Potentially Fantastic Meteor Shower On The Way

THE ORIONIDS METEOR SHOWER IS ON THE WAY!

If you are a stargaer, September has been your month for laying out in the yard on a clear evening, to just enjoy the wonders that space provides. This week the annual Orionids meteor shower begins, and it's all caused by Halley's Comet.

The meteor shower begins on September 26th and will peak around October 20th, and then end sometime around November 22nd, 2024.

With the clear skies and great temperatures we've been experiencing, this weekend could be the perfect time to do some stargazing.

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ANOTHER EVENT IS HAPPENING TOO!

While this common event is happening, something significant is also happening in September and October this year in the early morning pre-dawn hours and then just after sunset.

The comet officially known as 'Tsuchinshan-ATLAS', (otherwise known as A3 for short). is getting brighter and brighter, and appears to be growing a tail!

COMET A3

Right now, the only way to see Comet A3 is with a large telescope. According to an article in Forbes, this comet is expected to brighten through October and possibly become as bright as Venus, which they say would make A3 'The Comet of the Year," and possibly the century.

WHEN WAS COMET A3 DISCOVERED?

Comet A3 was discovered in February of 2023, and will be the closest to the sun sometime on September 27th, 2024. It will become visible again in the southwest just after sunset, and is hoped to be a naked-eye object this year.

If we are able to see A3, you'll need to look very low on the horizon. Mid-October will mostly likely be the best time to see it.