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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Comet C/2023 A3 pictured over Groarty Road, Derry on Monday night. (Photo: Vinny Doherty)
A comet that was last visible from Earth when Neanderthals were alive was spotted over the skies of Derry on Monday night.
This giant ball of ice, dust and rocks has been hurtling towards us at over 60km/h for the past few weeks and made its closest approach to Earth this week.
Comet A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has been called “the comet of the century” because of how bright and visible it could be, according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).
The above image was captured by Derry man Vinny Doherty on Monday night of Comet C/2023 A3 over Groarty Road in the city.
Astronomers said it would last have been visible from our planet around 80,000 years ago, and was only discovered in January 2023.
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Stargazers in the southern hemisphere have already glimpsed Comet A3 but it can now also be seen in the northern hemisphere, the society said.
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