Comet 10P Tempel 2 Visible Over Bengaluru Sky With Peak Visibility On August 2 And 3

Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is currently visible in the sky over Bengaluru in the wee hours and will remain observable through early August, marking its return after last being seen five-and-a-half years ago. Peak visibility for the celestial object is expected on August 2 and August 3.

Discovered in the year 1873, Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is a periodic comet that completes one orbit around the Sun every 5.5 years. Its previous sighting from Earth occurred in 2021.

Deepak Choudhary, a Bengaluru-based astronomy enthusiast, captured an image of the comet in the early morning hours of July 26 using a Seestar S50 smart telescope. According to Choudhary, the comet brightened during June and July and will continue to be observable through late July and the first half of August before gradually fading as it moves away from the Sun and Earth.

Choudhary explained that while the comet returns every 5.5 years, it is not always easily visible from Earth. Its visibility depends on how close it comes to Earth during each return and its position relative to the Sun. Depending on how bright it becomes during an apparition, some returns are excellent while others are much less favourable.

The period between late July and early August offers the best viewing opportunity, as the comet is expected to brighten to around magnitude 8–9.

The comet is unlikely to be visible to the naked eye as it remains too faint without optical aid. Skywatchers can observe it using binoculars or small telescopes with an aperture of 80–150 mm. Choudhary advised that the object is best observed from a dark location away from city lights on a clear, moonless night.

On August 2, the comet will reach its closest point to the Sun. Heat from the Sun causes ice on the comet to vaporise, forming its coma—the fuzzy cloud around the nucleus—and tail, making it brighter and easier to observe. On August 3, the comet will make its closest approach to Earth.