Comet G3 ATLAS to shine brightest tomorrow: How to watch
What's the story
Comet G3 ATLAS (C/2024) is expected to reach its maximum brightness tomorrow. The celestial phenomenon may even outshine the planets Venus and Jupiter.
The comet was first spotted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey in Chile on April 5, 2024.
It was at magnitude +19 then and hard to spot due to its faintness.
Orbital journey
G3 ATLAS's unique orbit and recent brightening
Comet G3 ATLAS is one of the few comets with a huge, elongated orbit around the Sun, a journey that takes some 160,000 years.
This makes its current appearance a rare event and gives observers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness it.
The comet has recently become brighter, especially in the last few weeks. A major outburst on January 2, 2025 added to this brightness.
Perihelion approach
Closest approach to Sun and viewing challenges
G3 ATLAS will come closest to the Sun tomorrow, at a distance of just 8.7 million miles.
This close pass will make the comet shine brightly as solar radiation and heat vaporize sections of its icy nucleus.
However, for those observing with naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere, its southeastern position at dusk will create bright twilight sky conditions that can limit observation capability.
Celestial uncertainty
G3 ATLAS's brightness and unpredictability
It is predicted that G3 ATLAS could reach a brightness of -3.2 magnitudes, outshining Venus in the sky.
However, comets are notoriously unpredictable, particularly when they come close to the Sun. Large comets like G3 ATLAS can change or break apart due to intense heat and solar radiation.
Despite this uncertainty, the comet's appearance will be a major addition to January's sky and a rare opportunity for observers to witness one of our solar system's extraordinary phenomena.