Since scientists confirmed the extinction of dinosaurs due to asteroid impact on the earth, any approaching asteroid becomes a topic of discussion among science enthusiasts.
The Space is waiting to be explored, but our access to space is very limited. With rapid advancements by different space agencies across the globe, we come across exciting news about the universe daily. We often get excited to observe celestial spectacles including eclipse, comets, asteroids, and movement of stars. In this article, we will discuss key things to remember before stargazing along with historical sightings of asteroid and Comets.
In October 2024, we might witness a rare phenomena: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3). This comet becomes visible once in in 80,000 years. It was first detected by Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope.
Apart from that, a 100-foot giant asteroid is also approaching our planet in July, 2024. Based on speed and size, the space scientists mentioned these two celestial objects non threatening.
Visible Comets: Approximately, one comet is visible to the naked eye every year. Many others remain undetected and faint. Some of the examples of visible Comets are 12P/Pons–Brooks (once in 71 years), Halley's Comet (once in 75 years), and so on. Some other periodic Comets are NEOWISE, PanSTARRS, 144P/Kushida, and so on.
Visible Asteroids: It's easy to detect asteroid via telescope, but it's really hard to observe via naked eye. According to NASA, the number of known asteroids are 1,370,772. Among these, only one asteroid named 4 Vesta is visible through naked eye.
You need only three things to observe celestial events in naked-eye. These are: luck, clear skies and darkness.
Before observing, understand the basic difference; comets icy structure made up of dust while the asteroids are made up of rock.
If you are living in city, then you have to move out of urban area as this area is not suitable for viewing the night sky. The first and foremost thing is to ensure safety of the surroundings selected for stargazing. Never go alone for stargazing. There is a tendency for new stargazers to buy a telescope. But, this is not mandatory. You can start with a decent pair of binoculars, then move to telescope. Purchase a separate star atlas for yourself. Keep warm clothes in the night.
Remember, the Comets look like fuzzy structures, much larger than the stars. The gaseous tail is the best way to detect a comet in the sky. Other objects don't have that peculiar tail-like feature.
Since the beginning of the civilization, people have recorded the movement of earth, moon, and other stars. It helped us to understand day, night, and tidal timings. The frequency of approaching asteroids vary over time. Scientists keep an eye on every celestial body to understand the universe in a better way. In modern space science, mathematical modeling, thorough observations, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies are employed.
If you are interested in astronomy, then you must explore and learn more about night sky. Even without telescope, you can enjoy the astonishing views of night sky.
