When and where to see the ‘comet of the century’ Saturday night

A comet that last passed Earth 80,000 years ago, when Neanderthals walked the Earth, will be visible to the naked eye starting Saturday evening.

The comet is named Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, and scientists have dubbed it the “comet of the century” due to its brightness and visibility.

Purple Mountain Observatory in China first spotted the comet and calculated that its orbit would cross the Earth's hemisphere in September or October 2024.

In late September and last week, some people in the Southern Hemisphere were able to catch a glimpse of the comet as it appeared as a fuzzy star sitting low in the pre-dawn sky.

But now, the comet is moving through the Northern Hemisphere sky — including where the United Kingdom and the United States reside, meaning that skywatchers will get to see the comet through telescopes, binoculars, or even their naked eye.

People will also be able to capture the comet on camera.

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The comet will reach its closest point to Earth on October 12, but NASA said it could be visible through the end of October.

Viewers are advised to watch for the comet from the western horizon straight after the sun sets, but it will be a small window to watch it pass. The comet will disappear roughly 30 minutes after the sun sets.