"Wolf Moon" and comet ATLAS: a celestial show in Luxembourg
Zyanya Citlalli, Unsplash
The night of 13 January will bring two astronomical events at once: a bright full Moon, known as the Wolf Moon, and the maximum approach of comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) to the Sun. At 23:12, the full Moon will appear in the constellation Gemini, illuminating the night sky with a brilliance of -12.5 star magnitude.
The name "Wolf Moon" comes from Native American folklore, for whom wolves symbolised a mysterious connection to the moon, especially on cold January nights.
Comet ATLAS will reach its closest distance to the Sun on 13 January, and its brightness may be -3.8 star magnitude - comparable to Venus. However, its proximity to the Sun will make it difficult to see it in Luxembourg. Most of the beauty of this phenomenon will be appreciated by residents of the Southern Hemisphere.
Clear skies and temperatures around freezing will make for excellent observing conditions. "The Wolf Moon will be visible to the naked eye, but a telescope will allow you to see its craters and surface in detail. Comet ATLAS will require at least binoculars, but its low position on the horizon will make it difficult to observe.
