A comet predicted to light up the sky in 2024 may already be doomed

A fuzzy white orb leaves a tail behind it as it soars past background stars, which appear as streaks.

In recent months there has been a gradual build-up of excitement regarding the approach of a new comet with the moniker, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, cataloged officially as C/2023 A3. 

Comet Tsuchinchan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) was first discovered at the Purple Mountain Observatory's XuYi Station in China on Jan. 9, 2023, then lost and discovered a second time 44 days later at the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) search project's station at Sutherland, South Africa. Hopes have been running high that this would develop into a bright naked-eye object by the fall of 2024.