hot in At the tail end of the Quadrantid meteor shower, another spectacle in the sky is about to arrive: comet Atlas C/2024 G3, which will reach perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the sun, on January 13. Also visible at its closest approach to Earth, it will likely be the brightest comet of 2025, a year when other comets may not be visible to the naked eye. Here's everything you need to know.
C/2024 G3 was discovered on April 5, 2024, by the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Final Alert System (Atlas), a network of telescopes scanning space for asteroids that could impact Earth. The comet came from the Oort cloud, a remote region in the outer reaches of the solar system that is believed to contain remnants of the material that formed the solar system's planets.
When Comet C/2024 G3 reaches perihelion, it will come within just 13.5 million kilometers of the Sun—for context, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting its star at a distance of 47 million kilometers. According to the latest calculations reported by the Planetary Society, C/2024 G3 may reach magnitude –4.5, about the same brightness as Venus, and will likely be visible to the naked eye for people in the Southern Hemisphere.
However, the comet's unusually close proximity to the sun has raised questions about its survival. Its orbital path suggests it is a dynamically ancient comet, and this is not the first time it has orbited the Sun. In fact, its last close approach is estimated to be around 160,000 years ago, meaning it may have survived a close flyby. "It would be very hot and probably not survivable," said Nick James, director of the center's comet section. British Astronomical Society. "But if it does, it could become an impressive object in the Southern Hemisphere night sky after perihelion."
If it remains unscathed, the comet will be visible from the western edge of the Southern Hemisphere after sunset on January 13. The comet's orbital structure makes it difficult to observe from the Northern Hemisphere - it appears very low in the sky after sunset on January 13. Before sunset or sunrise, but likely to be overwhelmed by twilight.
The comet's close proximity to the sun means identifying it can be dangerous, and James said C/2024 G3 "should only be viewed if you are an experienced observer." Looking directly at it without protective gear The sun can cause permanent eye damage.
There will also be interference from the moon, which will be in its waning phase, which may make observations more difficult. It is possible to observe comets with the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere, but binoculars or a telescope may be required.
Those who don't want to miss the show can track the comet in images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory's Lasco C3 coronagraph, or consult the IAU Minor Planet Center or Comet Observations (COBS) databases.
This story originally appeared in italian connection and has been translated from Italian.