Once-in-a-lifetime comet viewing experience taking place during this year’s largest supermoon

Two remarkable celestial events will take place in the night skies on Wednesday and Thursday: a supermoon and a comet that will soon disappear forever from Earth’s view.

As previously reported by Deseret News , this year, there will be a total of four supermoons.

A supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth, making it appear particularly large and bright. The number of supermoons each year can vary.

October’s supermoon is the third of the four happening this year. This month’s event will mark the moon’s closest and largest appearance. November will host the last supermoon of the year.

According to The Associated Press , on Wednesday night, the moon will be over 222,000 miles away from Earth. This is much closer than its average distance of over 238,000 miles. On Thursday, the moon will reach its full lunar phase.

However, stargazers have more than just the supermoon to look forward to — a comet will also accompany the event.

What is the comet that will appear in the October sky?

The comet, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, has already begun appearing across the sky.

Per Space.com , initially observable only in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere, it has now made its way toward the Northern Hemisphere.

Viewing this once-in-a-lifetime event has been complicated because the comet is passing directly between Earth and the sun, making it difficult to spot.

The best window to see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at night will be between Oct. 12 and Oct. 26, according to Space.com. On Oct. 12, the comet was closest to Earth, at 43,911,824 miles away. After that, it will move farther from Earth and the sun, making it harder to see.

When will Tsuchinshan-ATLAS disappear from Earth’s sky?

According to Space.com , by Oct. 16, the comet will have dimmed to the brightness of Polaris, the North Star. By Oct. 19, it will appear as bright as a regular star, and by Oct. 26, it will resemble a dim star before fading into deep space.

Due to the supermoon, viewing the comet will be further complicated, as the moon will be about 30% brighter than usual.

“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light messes up observing other objects,” NASA’s Bill Cooke told The Associated Press . “So it’s a bit hard for us to wax poetic about it even if it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024.”