Comet unseen for 80,000 years may be visible this month

NEW YORK — The northern lights captivated countless people across the Tri-State Area this week, but Mother Nature isn’t finished showing off yet. 
If you’re lucky, experts say you might be able to spot a comet that hasn’t been seen from Earth in 80,000 years in the Tri-State Area this month.
In New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, you’ll need a clear view facing west in order to see the comet with the naked eye.
“You really want to wait for the sun to set, but not long after,” said Bart Fried, membership chairman of the Amateur Astronomers Association.
Your best chance at the possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will come 30 minutes after sunset if you look right above where the sun sets, according to Fried. 
Many people in the Tri-State Area were able to get a glimpse of the comet Saturday night.
Depending on cloud cover, you may be able to see the comet again over the next two weeks, but with each passing day, it will get higher in the sky and become dimmer, making it more difficult to view.
The CCNY Planetarium created a simulation to show the comet’s position. 
“The formal name is C-2023A3,” said Dr. James Hedberg, the planetarium’s director. “It’s thought to have originated in the ort cloud, which is this distant collection of rocks and ice, way, way far away.” 
“The Neanderthals were the first people to see it,” Fried said. “Centuries ago, they were portraits of doom. Today, kind of just the opposite.” 
There’s no guarantee the comet will ever make its way back close enough to Earth to see again, according to Hedberg. 
“It’s these rare moments that change your lives,” he said. “This thing has spent tens of thousands of years getting here.” 
“When there’s a good comet, you can’t take your eyes off it,” Fried said. 
Jackie Faherty, senior research scientist at the American Museum of Natural History, explains why seeing a comet like this is so rare. 
“Because our solar system is pretty cleared out,” Faherty said. “You just don’t know if you’re ever going to see one because they have to have the right conditions to get the right amount of sunlight and be the right distance away from us.” 
The comet is nothing to be worried about, experts say, since it’s so far away from Earth. So enjoy the show in the sky! 

Alecia Reid

contributed to this report.