China: Atlas Comet Illuminates Zijin Mountain In Jiangsu

On 15 October 2024, Comet Atlas shone in the night sky of Zijinshan Mountain in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. The celestial event unfolded under a darkened sky, as the comet streaked across the heavens like a luminous sprite. Its shimmering light and alternating hues of deep and pale tones created a mesmerizing spectacle. The comet’s mysterious trajectory captivated stargazers and tourists alike. Enthusiasts gathered in awe, their gazes fixed on the enchanting display, which added a touch of wonder to the already breathtaking night view of Zijin Mountain.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 8

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 6

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 7

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 5

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 4

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 3

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World 2

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Sightings Across The World

Comet C/2023A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), a comet visible only once every 80,000 years has been spotted streaking across skies around the world.

View Of Comet Helps Solve Mystery Of Earth's Abundant Water

View Of Comet Helps Solve Mystery Of Earth's Abundant Water

Handout - This artist’s concept of Comet 238P/Read shows the main belt comet sublimating—its water ice vaporising as its orbit approaches the Sun. This is significant, as the sublimation is what distinguishes comets from asteroids, creating their distinctive tail and hazy halo, or coma. The James Webb Space Telescope’s detection of water vapor at Comet Read is a major benchmark in the study of main belt comets, and in the broader investigation of the origin of Earth’s abundant water. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has enabled another long-sought scientific breakthrough, this time for solar system scientists studying the origins of Earth's abundant water. Using Webb's NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instrument, astronomers have confirmed gas – specifically water vapor – around a comet in the main asteroid belt for the first time, indicating that water ice from the primordial solar system can be preserved in that region. Comet Read is a main belt comet – an object that resides in the main asteroid belt