A bright comet with a long tail is just now emerging into our evening sky after passing perihelion, and today around 9:08 a.m. MST it passed closest to the Earth at a distance of 0.47 AU.
Even though there is currently moonlight interference and the comet’s head is on the WSW horizon at the end of astronomical twilight (here in Tucson), the tail may be visible even as early as tonight, and each evening going forward Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will be rising higher in the WSW sky.
Our first chance this month to see Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at least 10° above the horizon in a sky free of twilight and moonlight will come next Saturday evening, but you should definitely make an effort to get out of the city to a dark rural location free of light pollution to get the best view.
Here’s a dark-sky ephemeris for Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS for Tucson, Arizona for October and November. Since the comet is moving away from both the Sun and the Earth, the sooner you make an effort to see this spectacular comet, the better!