Earth saw a comet, a solar eclipse, an aurora borealis and a minimoon this week.

2024-10-05 2024-10-05T10:26:56Z

Arab Weather - The vast night sky usually seems constant over time, as decades pass without noticeable changes, but this week witnessed amazing and rare astronomical events in a short time, as the inhabitants of Earth were able to enjoy several distinctive celestial scenes, including a bright comet, a solar eclipse, a polar aurora, and even the appearance of a new small moon in orbit around the Earth.

Comet A3 Visible Before Sunrise This Week

When?: 60-75 minutes before sunrise depending on your location.
Where?: Eastern Northern Hemisphere.

Comet A3, also known as Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas (C/2023 A3), was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye from the Northern Hemisphere after sunset, when it passed 44 million miles (71 million kilometers) from Earth. However, you can now see it before sunrise.

Thursday's 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse: What to Know

On October 2, 2024, the Southern Hemisphere experienced an annular solar eclipse known as the “ring of fire.” During the event’s peak, the Moon covered about 93% of the Sun’s center, and the event was visible from areas as far away as Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the Pacific Ocean, southern Chile, and Argentina.

Earth's new 'mini-moon'

When?: September 29 - November 25.
Where?: Eastern Northern Hemisphere.

Sometimes a small celestial body enters a temporary orbit around Earth, becoming a “mini-moon.” That’s the case with asteroid 2024 PT5, which was captured by Earth’s gravity into a 57-day orbit starting on September 29, before leaving on November 25.

It is only 11 metres in diameter, and will not be visible to the naked eye, but only through large telescopes.

Crescent Moon and Venus: When and Where to See Them?

When?: Just after sunset on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6.
Where?: West.

You can take a break from early morning comet viewing and enjoy the sight of the crescent moon and Venus in the sky after sunset. On Saturday, October 5, the 6% illuminated crescent moon will be three degrees below and to the left of bright Venus. On Sunday, October 6, the crescent moon will be a little further to the left of Venus, but it will still be a fascinating sight.

Aurora Borealis at its strongest? What you need to know

When?: September to October 2024.
Where?: Northern sky.

On September 22, the Sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the autumnal equinox, when day and night are equal around the world. This timing has been observed to be associated with increased geomagnetic storm activity that causes the aurora borealis.

During the equinox, Earth's magnetic fields align with the solar wind, opening cracks in Earth's magnetosphere, allowing charged particles to enter and accelerate, resulting in stronger displays of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights.

Earth braces for massive solar storm that could knock out communications this week

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arabia Weather - Jordan (@arabiaweatherjo)