The Zijinshan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered a new comet, the International Asteroid Center said on Wednesday.
The newly discovered comet was named "Purple Mountain Atlas" by the International Asteroid Center.
It was first discovered by the Near Earth Object Telescope of the Zijinshan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on January 9, 2023. After many observations and studies, the Zijinshan Observatory confirmed that it was a comet that had begun to move.
The orbit of the comet is a very special ellipse, so there is only one observation opportunity every 60 thousand years, making it worth looking forward to.
Experts analyzed that the Earth's orbit is on the ecliptic plane, and the comet's orbit is more than 40 degrees away from the ecliptic plane, so even if the comet will pass through the Earth's orbit, there will be no big planet collision.
According to the current orbit information, the comet is still outside the orbit of Jupiter and will move towards its perihelion. It is expected to become a large comet visible to the naked eye when it will cross the orbit of the earth in August next year.
Zhao Haibin, Chief Scientist of the Near Earth Object Telescope Group of the Zijinshan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said, "At present, its brightness is gradually increasing. In August next year, its brightness will probably exceed 6 degrees. At this time, we may be able to observe it with the naked eye. At dusk, we may directly see a comet with a tail with the naked eye."
