Have you already seen the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS? If you want to see something that rivals Thursday's global Northern Lights show (or if you missed the entire show), seeing a naked-eye comet in the sky after sunset is a must.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also called C/2023 A3 and Comet A3, has now left the sun's glare after reaching its closest point to Earth yesterday at a distance of about 44 million miles (71 million kilometers). It now rises into the night sky just after sunset.

ForbesWhy you suddenly have to see two brilliant comets this monthFrom

Where is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?

Tonight, Sunday, October 13, is the ideal time to look for it from the Northern Hemisphere, but it won't be a particularly easy sight, at least for now. That's because it's currently close to the horizon. Although it is close to its intrinsic brightness at the moment, it is only in the sky for a short time. Shortly after sunset, observers battle the fading twilight.

Luckily, it is rapidly moving away from the sun and is about five degrees further from our star than yesterday. This trend will continue and become more visible in the night sky. This means it is both visible against a dark sky and remains visible for an extended period of time after sunset.

However, to see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS shortly after sunset this evening, you'll need a clear view of the western horizon – and some patience.

Here's exactly when and where to look on Sunday, October 13th to see the comet with your naked eyes.

How to locate comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS: Sunday, October 13th:

Position: West, 21 degrees from the Sun in Virgo

Time: 45 minutes later Sunset where you are

Strength: +0.5

Distance of the comet from the Sun: 53.9 million miles (86.8 million kilometers)

Distance of the comet from Earth: 44.3 million miles (71.3 million kilometers)

Tonight the comet will be visible near the western horizon about 45 minutes after sunset. The waxing moon will be bright and 83% illuminated, but this will make no difference as you will see the comet in a fairly brightly lit region of the sky – directly above where the sun will have recently set.

Finding the comet against a anything-but-dark sky could be a challenge tonight, but you can use the stars and planets to help. If you have completely clear skies on the horizon, look for the bright planet Venus to the southwest and the bright star Arcturus to the west. Both will be near the horizon. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will be just below a point, about halfway between them.

Best time to see Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

This weekend is one of the best times to see the comet. Compared to Friday and Saturday nights, the comet will be slightly higher and easier to find and will remain in view until a little later in the twilight, they say Sky & Telescope. However, the observation window will be very short as comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS sinks below the horizon shortly after becoming visible.

You can probably see the comet with the naked eye, but binoculars will give you a great view.

When you can see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS next week

“The comet will appear higher in the sky over the weekend and will be easier to see,” explains Sky & telescopein a press release. “It will be at its best to watch early next week.”

There are reasons to believe that the best nights to see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS are ahead. Of the ten or so nights when it should be visible to the naked eye, Monday, October 14th and Tuesday, October 15th are likely to offer the best views, simply because the comet will be against darker skies. Check back on my page for special sightseeing guides for both evenings.

However, it's best to take a look as soon as possible because comets are unpredictable and so is the weather. A few nights of clouds could make the comet invisible to you.

What is comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is also a long-period comet from the Oort Cloud – a sphere of comets around our solar system – that only returns to the inner solar system every 80,000 years.

It was discovered in January 2023 by astronomers at China's Tsuchinshan Observatory and then rediscovered the following month by astronomers at South Africa's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope.

Check my feed every day this week and next for a daily “comet tracker” with sky maps and tips for observing Comet A3.

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.