A rare comet could be visible for the only time in 160,000 years

A bright comet could be visible in skies around the world over the next few days for the first time in 160,000 years.

NASA said the future brightness of a comet is “notoriously difficult” to predict, but that comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) could remain bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

On Monday, the comet was at perihelion, the point at which it is closest to the Sun, which influences its brightness. Experts say it could be visible as early as Monday night.

While the exact locations of its possible visibility are unknown, experts believe that the comet, which could be as bright as Venus, can be best observed from the southern hemisphere.

The comet was discovered last year by NASA’s Asteroid Land Impact Last Alert System.

Dr. Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London, said that “current orbital calculations indicate that it will pass within about 13.3 million kilometers of the Sun,” classifying it as a comet that ” borders the sun.”

The university described the comet as an event that occurs once every 160,000 years.

Dr. Balaji said opportunities to detect the comet may occur “in the days around perihelion, depending on local conditions and the behavior of the comet.”

“As with all comets, their visibility and brightness can be unpredictable,” he added.

Balaji said people living in the southern hemisphere, where the comet is expected to be best observed, should “look toward the eastern horizon before sunrise, (and) after perihelion, try to look toward the western horizon after sunset.” “.

But Balaji added that while it is expected to be “quite bright,” predictions for the comet’s brightness are “notoriously uncertain,” with many ending up fainter than initially predicted.

For the northern hemisphere, including the UK, observation can be challenging due to the comet’s relativity to the Sun.

You can consult with BBC Weather Online to see if the sky is clear enough for a possible sighting of the place where you are.

Balaji advised people who want to spot the comet to find a place away from light pollution and use a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.

He warned observers to be cautious during sunrise and sunset, and said to track the comet’s position to find where it might appear in the sky.

Meanwhile, astronomers are tracking the comet’s path.

On Saturday, NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared a photograph of the comet taken from the International Space Station on social media.

“It’s totally amazing to see a comet from orbit. Atlas C2024-G3 is visiting us,” he wrote.