University of Tokyo Captures Tsuchinshan-Atlas Comet

Tokyo, Oct. 2 (Jiji Press)--The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory Project, building a 6.5-meter telescope at the summit of Mount Chajnantor in Chile, has captured the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet and unveiled its images.

The comet, which is approaching Earth, was found by researchers at China's Purple Mountain Observatory in January last year.

The comet can be seen only this time as it does not approach periodically, unlike Halley's comet.

In Japan, the comet is expected to be seen in the lower eastern sky at dawn until early this month and in the southwestern sky right after sunset later in the month.

"I was so impressed that my body trembled when a faint ray of light of the comet came into view from the eastern sky," said Hidenori Takahashi, assistant professor of the national university, who is in the project's photographing team.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]