A rare comet is expected to be visible in the night sky in southern New England shortly after sunset this week.

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will be visible in the western sky every night this week. The comet’s orbit only brings it close to Earth once every 80,000 years, so this is our only chance to see it.

The comet will be low on the horizon early in the week and gradually rise higher on the horizon each night. However, it will become more difficult to see with the naked eye because the comet gradually becomes fainter every night, so it will be better to see sooner rather than later.

The weather will cooperate for seeing it every night starting on Monday, with mostly clear skies expected all week into next weekend. The best chance to see it may be Monday and Tuesday evenings, before the comet noticeably dims late in the week.

Make sure you get ready if you go out to see the comet: it will be cold with temperatures around 40 degrees during the evening hours, dropping to 30 degrees later in the evening.