How much longer can the 'comet of the century' be seen in the night sky? What to know.

If you want to see what people are calling "the comet of the century," your last chance is coming up soon, as it will most likely not be visible with the naked eye anymore after this weekend.

After that, the comet, known as "Comet C/2023 A3" in the astronomy world, won't be back for 80,000 years.

The comet is past its visibility peak, as it has already reached its closest point to Earth - about 44 million miles away from our planet - but you will still be able to see it in the night sky for the next couple of days.

Now that it is past its peak, the "comet will likely be visible only in binoculars for the rest of October and into early November," according to Space.com.

Here's what to know.

What is the status of the comet?

Here's the predicted "schedule" for the comet, according to Star Walk:

• Oct. 15-19 : (Comet) may produce an anti-tail — a bright streak that appears to be pointing toward the Sun, opposite the other tails.
• Oct. 20-31 : Comet will be visible with binoculars and telescopes.
• November : Visible in the evening. Rises higher in the Northern Hemisphere after sunset.
• December : Gradually moves closer to the sun in our sky, rising lower above the horizon. Not visible from the Southern Hemisphere.

What\'s the best way to look for the comet?

According to the National Weather Service , the following steps will help you find the comet:

• Have as clear a view of the western horizon as you can.
• ​Look in that direction starting about 15 minutes after sunset through about 45 minutes after, depending on your exact location. The comet will be fairly low on the horizon.
• Binoculars or a small telescope will help, as will keeping your eyes away from light to maintain your night vision.

What to know about Comet C/2023 A3

The comet was discovered recently by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS ) who noted it in February 2023. It has been observed a few weeks earlier in January 2023 by the Tsuchinshan Chinese Observatory.

One of the most unique traits of it is it moves opposite to most major solar system objects in the sky.

Sky at Night Magazine added, "Comet A3 will actually look like either a short section of an airplane contrail in the sky, perhaps as long as your index finger, or a little longer, or it will look like a misty shuttlecock, greyish-white in color."

This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: How much longer can the 'comet of the century' be seen in the night sky? What to know.