ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Pictures have been flooding in of the incredible celestial visitor who hasn’t been spotted in at least 80,000 years.

According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, this week offers the best viewing opportunities for Alaskans — weather permitting — of Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, the comet that can be seen shortly after sunset in the western sky.

The comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (pronounced Choo-cheen-shahn Atlas) was first discovered in China in early 2023 by the Purple Mountain Observatory. It was also seen by an ATLAS telescope in South Africa, and named in recognition of the two observatories.

NASA says the comet made its closest pass of the sun on Sept. 27, thinking that it’s icy composition wouldn’t withstand the sun’s intense heat.

That was not the case — and now the comet is traveling roughly 44 million miles from Earth, but visible to the naked eye.

Comet brightness is measured on the same scale used for stars, according to NASA. The magnitude of brightness is measured on a logarithmic scale, meaning a magnitude 1 star is 100 times brighter than a magnitude 6 star.

UAF says Tsuchinshan-ATLAS‘s brightness was estimated to have reached a magnitude -4 this week, which is on par with Venus’ solar reflection at its brightest.

The comet is considered a long-period comet, meaning its orbital period is longer than 200 years. It’s believed to have originated from the Oort Cloud, an area considered to be the outer edges of our solar system.

It’s suggested that if you’d like to see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, find a higher elevation and choose a dark vantage point — preferably above ground haze.

Mark Conde, a space physics professor at UAF, says that binoculars are a good choice if you’d like to see more of the comet’s tail, but telescopes give you a better view of the head.

“The comet is behaving exactly as predicted,” Conde said in a release from the university. “It looks fantastic.

“We want that sweet spot where the comet will be far enough above the horizon and the sky will be dark enough after sunset to see it and when it hasn’t yet faded.”

Soak in the sight and take a few pictures if you can, because this celestial sight might not be seen for another 800 centuries.

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