DENVER ( KDVR ) — On Sunday night, people across Colorado spotted a rare comet that only comes every 80,000 years. Luckily, there’s still time to see it.
According to NASA , the comet was discovered in 2023 at China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory and on an ATLAS telescope in South Africa, eventually getting the name Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS .
While the comet was first documented last year, it is believed to be very old. NASA said it came from the Oort Cloud, which lies beyond Pluto. After the comet travels within 44 million miles of Earth, it won’t return for another 80,000 years — and that’s assuming it survives the trip.
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The comet was projected to come into view in mid-October, and already, FOX31 viewers across Colorado have spotted the rare sight. Some viewers in Loveland, Steamboat and South Park photographed the comet on Sunday.
While the comet was already spotted in Colorado, there’s still time to see it.