Bengaluru Witnesses Breathtaking Sky Colours Caused By Passing Comet

Bengaluru is usually in the news for its traffic issues or other challenges, but recently, it has been making headlines for something truly spectacular. The skies over the city lit up in shades of pink, green and yellow, creating a magical scene that left many residents wondering what was happening. Initially, some thought they were witnessing an unusual celestial event. However, according to The Hindu report, it was caused by Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), which is currently passing by Earth.

The comet was first seen by the Purple Mountain Observatory in China on January 9, 2023 and later observed by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa.

Meanwhile, residents of Bengaluru couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. Many were quick to capture the rare moment and shared their stunning photos and videos online. Sharing a few pictures of the colourful skies, a user wrote, “What did the Bangalore skies just drop down on us? A magnificent painted sky that was so aurora-ish. A teaser to my December trip & if this blew me, how much more real.”

Another shared, “Captured sky lights like northern lights at evening time in Namma Bengaluru Marathahalli area.”

“Captured this surreal moment in the sky. Nature’s brushstrokes never fail to amaze,” a comment read.

One more added, “Bengaluru skies being just magical. What is this phenomenon even called?”

Speaking with The Hindu, Deepak Choudhary, an astronomy enthusiast, who witnessed the comet early in the morning, said, “On the morning of September 28, I woke up at around 4.30 am to check the clarity of the skies and to my delight, found them perfectly clear. After setting up my DSLR camera and a 20-year-old lens mounted on a tripod, I began capturing images of the sky. It is a remarkable achievement, as it may be the first time someone from India captured the comet so closely after its reappearance in the northern hemisphere.”

RC Kapoor, an astrophysicist from Bengaluru, explained that Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) doesn’t belong to our solar system and is considered an outsider. He mentioned that the comet was closest to the sun on September 27 and 28, when it was about 56 million kilometers away. For the first few days of October, it will be visible in the morning sky. However, starting October 12, people will be able to see it in the western sky right after sunset. At that time, the comet will be closest to Earth and should be bright enough to see without a telescope.