Comet A3 up close on 19 October from Wellington, before it set behind the Skyline. Although the clouds came quick, I managed a fast capture within a clear window just above the horizon, between 7 and 3 degrees. Photo: Supplied / Brian Diettrich
Look, up in the sky! If you're quick, and can avoid Aotearoa's omnipresent cloud cover, you might see a fiery interstellar visitor this evening.
The arrival of Comet C-2023 A3 over New Zealand skies has had stargazers grabbing their gear to capture the rare sight.
It's been the event of the weekend for astrophotographers like Rohit Vg, who told RNZ on Saturday that it was a "very memorable experience to photograph a visitor from outer space that only comes around every 80,000 years!"
Comet C/2023 A3 is about 85 million kilometres away and only comes along once in a human lifetime.
It has not been seen in New Zealand skies for 80,000 years.
An astronomer's tips for seeing the rare comet in our skies this week
Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki told RNZ the comet would soon start to dim as it leaves the solar system.
"It could be up to a week, maybe even two weeks.
"The problem with the comet at the moment is because it's leaving the solar system it's moving away from the sun, so it's losing its brightness.
"The later you leave it the dimmer it's going to get and eventually it'll just fade out of view."
Aoraki said the comet was best seen by looking to the western horizon, just below the brightest star and to the right, between 8pm and 9pm.
Have a cracking image? Send it to webnews@rnz.co.nz
The comet from the summit of Mount Eden Sunday 20 October. Photo: Rohit Vig / Supplied
Comet over Mana Island from Titahi Bay as seen Sunday, 20 October. Photo: Stephen McArthur / Supplied
My go at Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) last night at Muriwai. Photo: Supplied / Grant Birley All Rights Reserved
Up close with Comet C/2023 A3 on 28 September from Wellington. Photo: Supplied / Brian Diettrich
Captured by Jeff Ng before dawn on 30 September in Wellington. Photo: Supplied / Jeff Ng
Captured by Jeff Ng 8.56pm Saturday from Titahi Bay looking over Mana Island and the Marlborough Sounds. Photo: Supplied / Jeff Ng
C/2023 A3 is seen over Te Atatu, Auckland on 16 October. Photo: Supplied / Rohit Vig
Adrienne White shot these images at Pollok in southwest Auckland. Photo: Supplied / Adrienne White
Stanley Cheng captured this shot at Muriwai Beach on 19 October. Photo: Supplied/ Stanley Cheng
Adrienne White shot these images at Kawakawa Bay in September. Photo: Supplied / Adrienne White
Taken at Muriwai 19 October. Photo: Supplied / Grant Birley All Rights Reserved
Taken from Orewa (Arundel Reserve) 28 September with the moon. Photo: Supplied / Grant Birley All Rights Reserved
John Tsai captured this image at Muriwai Saturday 19 October when the comet was closer to the horizon and when the gannet colony in view. Photo: Supplied / John Tsai
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