'Comet of the century' might be visible in UK skies - here's how to spot it

A comet that was seen from Earth past period for the archetypal clip successful 80,000 years mightiness beryllium disposable with the bare oculus successful the UK connected Saturday evening, according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).

The nine said Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has been called the "comet of the century" due to the fact that of however agleam and disposable it tin be.

On Saturday the comet is expected to travel wrong astir 70 cardinal km (44 cardinal miles) of Earth, according to the Nasa Earth Observatory.

The RAS's Dr Robert Massey told BBC News that Saturday nighttime was the "opening of the model to try" and spot the comet successful the UK.

He said radical should spell retired "immediately aft sunset" with a brace of binoculars, caput for higher crushed and look westbound towards the horizon.

Try to basal wherever hills, buildings and trees are not blocking your view, helium said.

Skies volition beryllium clearing overnight connected Saturday arsenic beardown winds propulsion the unreality and showers distant into the North Sea.

Dr Massey advised radical to "wrap up" and bring a blistery portion with them.

"Just spell out, bask it, don't sweat it," helium said.

The RAS said the comet was archetypal disposable successful the confederate hemisphere betwixt 27 September and 2 October and would beryllium disposable from Saturday nighttime to 30 October.

The comet apt travelled from the outer reaches of our star strategy and made its closest transit past the prima connected 27 September, the Nasa Earth Observatory said.

Dr Massey said the nucleus of the comet - its coagulated halfway - has been estimated to beryllium 2km (1.24 miles) long, oregon "mountain-size".

He said helium tried to spot it connected Friday nighttime and volition "certainly effort again".

"Sometimes comets disappoint... but this 1 appears to beryllium acting successful enactment with predictions," helium said.

"We privation radical to effort and spell retired and person a look."

Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was photographed successful Spain, Italy, Uruguay, and Indonesia betwixt 29 September and 1 October.

Dr Massey advised utilizing a DSLR camera to seizure the comet, but said holding a mobile telephone camera up against the eyepiece of a tiny scope could drawback the abstraction lawsuit too.

"And if it’s genuinely casual to spot, you might, mightiness beryllium capable to prime up your mobile phone, remainder connected something, and conscionable constituent and shoot," helium said.

The comet follows the UK's skies being splashed with colour from the Northern Lights overnight connected Thursday.

The lights, besides known arsenic aurora borealis, were expected to beryllium seen lone arsenic acold southbound arsenic the Midlands, but the spectacle was disposable from the apical of the UK successful the Shetland Islands down to London.

Is determination a nexus betwixt the comet and the Northern Lights?

"It's a bully coincidence," Dr Massey said.