Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-Atlas) in many ways reminded me of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) back in 2020.  In fact it was the brightest comet I had seen since that time.  However bright does not mean it was an easy naked eye object!  Once you knew its location it could be seen about 45 minutes after sunset with dark adapted eyes, but not easily. 

The comet was at its best when observed on the evenings of October 11 & 12th, but I was shut out both those nights due to clouds covering the western horizon.  I tried on the 10th as well, but the comet was still to close to the sun at sunset time, and had no success in finding it on that night. Clouds again interfered on the night of the 14th and I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get a shot at this gradually fading comet?

I finally got my first chance on the 14th when the evening clouds parted for a brief period of time. I then tried again on the 15th, 16th, and 17th from various locations while we had clear skies.  But there were two elements against me at that time.  I fast approaching full moon and a comet that was getting ever higher and dimmer each night.  I present those images below.  All taken with the following equipment:

Canon R6 MII - 70-200mm f4.0 lens - ISO 800

Oct 14, 2024 7:28pm:   f4.0 @ 77mm - ISO 800 4.3 seconds.  Looking closely you can just barely make out the "anti-tail" pointing downward opposite the dust tail.

Oct 14, 2024 7:51pm:   f4.0 @ 77mm - ISO 1600 7.3 seconds.  I caught this one just as the clouds were beginning to fill back in again.

Oct 15, 2024 7:52pm:   f4.0 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 3.5 seconds.  I went to a different location on the second night with the hopes of capturing a more interesting foreground. Again, the anti-tail is just barely visible.

Oct 15, 2024 8:02pm:   f4.0 @ 100mm - ISO 1600 3.4 seconds.  This is a more zoomed in view of the comet taken several minutes after the previous photo as the comet gets ever lower in the evening sky.

Oct 15, 2024 8:09pm:   f4.0 @ 98mm - ISO 1600 2.7 seconds.  This was my final image taken on this evening as the comet would soon be hidden behind an approaching cloud bank.

Oct 16, 2024 7:31pm:   f4.0 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 4.4 seconds. Again I switched to a new location this time overlooking lake.  I  took this photo rather early in the evening as the comet was just becoming visible in the bright light of the western sky.

Oct 16, 2024 7:50pm:   f4.0 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 2.3 seconds.  As the comet got lower in the western sky I was able to capture a little of the lake as well.  As you can see the comet and tail are getting increasingly dimmer with each passing night. 

Oct 17, 2024 8:01 pm:   f4.5 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 4.5 seconds.  This would be my 4th and last night with the comet.  A dimming comet and a full moon on this night revealed a less interesting comet from the previous 3 nights. 

Oct 17, 2024 8:20 pm:   f4.5 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 3.5 seconds.  The comet was getting a little lower in this image and I was able to include a little more of the moonlit foreground.  But the comet and tail were again dimmer.

Oct 17, 2024 8:44 pm:   f4.5 @ 70mm - ISO 1600 2.9 seconds.  This would be my final photo attempt of Comet "Atlas".  The moon light was overpowering and fast washing out the visibility of the comet and tail.  Had we had moonless skies I may have stuck it out a few more nights.