Rare comet likely to be visible to the human eye in Minnesota. Here’s how to see it.

A newly discovered comet will be visible this weekend from a distance of about 44 million miles away.

That may sound far off, but it’s on par with some planets visible to the naked eye, said Sally Brummel, the planetarium manager at the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum.

The comet was discovered by astronomers in January 2023. Initial observations suggest that the comet orbits the sun once every 80,000 years, meaning stargazers won’t want to miss their chance to see it in the coming days.

Brummel said she considers herself an urban astronomer, so it’s most exciting when great sights like the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS or the aurora are bright enough to see just by stepping out into her Twin Cities backyard.

On top of being closest to Earth, this weekend is the first that the comet emerges from behind the sun in the evening sky. Here are some tips for getting a glimpse of ATLAS streaking across the sky.

The comet will appear as a small, fuzzy dot low in the western sky. It will be bigger in size than the stars or planets, but not quite as big across as the moon, Brummel said.

“It’ll have this fuzzy look and the long tail that stretches away from it up away from the horizon,” she said.

The best viewing time is within an hour after sunset, Brummel said. The sunset is a bit earlier every day so keep an eye on timing.

“It will still be pretty low, and it’ll set before the sky gets completely dark,” she said. “That’s the trade-off here. This weekend is when it’s going to be its brightest, but it’s also not in the sky when it’s dark.”

If you look to the west, you can probably see Venus, the really bright planet. Then scan to the right of Venus. If you have a pair of binoculars, just point them on Venus, and then slowly scan toward the right to see the comet, Brummel said.

This comet is getting a lot of notice because it’s a rare comet that’s bright enough to see even through the light pollution of cities. A spot with a clear view of the western horizon, without trees or buildings in the way is good.

But the farther away from the city you get, with less light pollution, the better it will look.