Michigan sky watchers prepare for double-header: Rare comet and northern lights

• A rare comet is approaching Earth and will be visible Thursday and through the weekend
• The comet, C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan – ATLAS, was discovered in 2023 and won’t be visible for another 80,000 years 
• At the same time, a severe geomagnetic storm erupted Sunday causing the northern lights to be visible as far south as Alabama

A rare, one-in-a-lifetime comet will make its closest approach to Earth on Saturday, and Michigan sky watchers won’t want to miss it. The comet, C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, won’t be visible for another 80,000 years. 

The Oort Cloud comet made its transit past the sun on Sept. 27, after scientists predicted that it wouldn’t survive the sun’s intense heat, according to NASA. 

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS (pronounced Choo-cheen-shahn At-Less) was discovered last year at China’s TsuchinShan Observatory and an ATLAS telescope in South Africa, and is named after both observatories.

The comet is expected to come within 44 million miles of the Earth on Saturday, but peak visibility will be on Thursday and Friday night when the half-moon will begin to move away from the comet. The comet will still be visible throughout the weekend. 

Related:

• Solar storm may make northern lights visible in Michigan again
• It’s not too late: Nishimura comet will still be visible this week in Michigan 

The best chance of viewing the comet is after sunset. Binoculars or a small telescope offer the best views of the phenomenon, according to NASA. Look to the west, just beneath the moon and to the right of Jupiter. 

EarthSky can be helpful in locating the comet, which is in between the Sagittarius and Scorpio constellations. 

A two-for-one special 

A rare comet isn’t the only thing sky watchers have to look forward to. A severe geomagnetic storm on Sunday will cause the northern lights to be visible further south than they typically would be. 

The National Weather Service’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a G4 storm watch for Thursday and Friday. 

The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are an ethereal light show that is typically limited to regions a bit closer to the northern pole.  However, geomagnetic storms can cause the lights to be seen in places closer to the equator, depending on the intensity of the storm. The NOAA predicts that the storm will be visible as far south as Alabama. 

The severity of the storm could weaken satellites and other technology. 

Finding a dark sky

Like most astronomical events, the best time to view the northern lights and the comet is between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. in a rural area, away from city lights that make them harder to see. 

Clear skies are expected throughout the state but the moon could potentially impact visibility, particularly for those watching the comet. 

Weather permitting, several places across the state have the perfect conditions to watch both astrological events.

• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a scenic place to view the northern lights over Lake Michigan. 
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has an array of cliffs and hills for people who want a “closer look” at the night sky. 
• Isle Royale National Park is a remote national park in the middle of Lake Superior, making it an optimal location in Michigan to view the northern lights. 
• Michigan has designated six state parks dark sky preserves: Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Lenawee County; Negwegon State Park in Alcona County; Port Crescent State Park in Huron County, Rockport State Recreation Area and Thompson's Harbor State Park in Presque Isle County and Wilderness State Park in Emmet County.
• Certified international dark sky parks in Michigan: Headlands in Emmet County, Keweenaw in Keweenaw County and Dr. T.K. Lawless in Cass County.

Even if you can’t make it Up North, groups like the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society are hosting viewing parties.