Exactly where and when you could see rare comet in UK skies with naked eye

Stargazers hoping to spot a rare comet over the skies of the UK have been advised when their best chances of seeing it is.

Comet A3 is already visible with the right equipment in the northern hemisphere, though it remains low on the horizon before dawn. The best views of the object are anticipated around mid-October, when it might even become visible to the naked eye.

And people hoping to spot the comet have now been told when the best date to spot it is. Experts say people have the best chance on Saturday, October 12, after sunset in the western sky. If the weather is kind, it could even be seen with the naked eye.

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Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society, told the BBC : "Bright comets are quite rare, so if you do get a chance to see one, take a look, even if you have to use a pair of binoculars to pick out the tail and features. They're absolutely beautiful.

“You could go outside and say, 'Wow, there’s a comet!' without even needing binoculars. Comets are unpredictable, but we don’t know when the next one will appear, so don’t miss this chance.”

Astronomers have been monitoring its journey for the best part of two years, observing as it brightens and moves closer to peak visibility. Unlike asteroids, which are purely rock, comets are made up of ice, rock, and gas.

As they near the Sun, the heat transforms their ice into gases and releases dust particles trapped in the ice, creating their stunning tail. This latest comet has already been visible in the Southern Hemisphere and is now coming into view for those in the Northern Hemisphere.

Earlier this month, astronomers unveiled a colossal infrared map of the Milky Way, showcasing more than 1.5 billion celestial bodies which has been dubbed the most detailed snapshot of our galaxy to date. The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VISTA telescope has been the eye through which experts have observed the heart of our galaxy for over 13 years. Tipping the scales at a whopping 500 terabytes, this project is the heftiest observational endeavour ever undertaken with an ESO telescope.