The 'brightest comet of 2025 so far' is orbiting the sun: Here's how to catch a glimpse
Science enthusiasts are hoping to get a glimpse of a comet that’s supposed to be the brightest of 2025, but they may be out of luck depending on where they are in the world.
The comet, known as C/2024 G3 or ATLAS, could be the brightest of 2025, but it’s too early to tell, said Bill Cooke, lead of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Meteoroid Environment Office.
“I can tell you it’s definitely the brightest comet of 2025 so far,” he told Paste BN on Monday. “Will it be the brightest comet we will see in 2025? No one knows … there are still 11 months to go.”
Here's what to know about the comet.
Will the comet be easy to see?
As bright as it may be, the comet will be very hard to see, experts say.
“The smoke from the fires and our current weather patterns won’t help,” said Tim Brothers, Technical Instructor and Observatory Manager at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT, in an email to Paste BN Monday.
He also cautioned that because the comet is so close to the sun, it’s not wise to use binoculars to see it.
Andrew Fazekas of Astronomers without Borders, a California-based organization that helps those from disadvantaged communities learn about space, also cautioned against using binoculars to see C/2024 G3.
“It's a dangerous thing because you don't want to, by accident, stare at the sun, especially through telescopes and binoculars,” he told Paste BN Wednesday. “It’s really left to … more advanced amateur astronomers to attempt this.”
He said even scientists he knows are having a hard time seeing the comet.
“Because it's so close to the sun in the sky, the glare of the sun is making it extremely challenging to find it in the sky,” Fazekas said.
Still, the comet is there, rounding the sun. Within a few days it’ll begin moving away from the sun, he said, adding that people in the southern hemisphere are going to have a better view of it.
What is a comet and why is this one so bright?
Comets are “big, snowy dirt balls,” that sometimes originate in the oort cloud, or a “reservoir of comets a quarter of the way to (the sun),” Cooke said. Every once in a while, the gravity of a passing star will change the orbit of these dirt balls, sending them into the inner solar system.
Some comets have been around for thousands of years, including Comet C/2024 G3, which has already made several passes into the solar system. The last time the comet passed in the solar system was at least 135,000 years ago, Cooke said.
The comet got its name from the system that discovered it, or the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), according to Asa Stahl, an astrophysicist and science editor at the Planetary Society.
Nikole Lewis is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University. She said the comet was most recently discovered this past spring. Scientists use surveys and catalogs to keep track of stars and other aspects of space, she said.
“We are regularly monitoring the skies in our vicinity … looking for anything that might run into Earth,” she said. “We pick up all sorts of other interesting things and this is one of those objects that was picked up from one of these surveys.”
Comets normally start out as dust, rocky material and ice, she said. When comets are far away from the sun, they appear dimmer and hard to spot. As they get closer to the sun and that ice begins to melt away, they increase in brightness.
Where can I see the comet?
Whether you’ll be able to see the comet depends on your latitude, said Lewis from Cornell University. There are apps people can use to determine the best time to see it, including a night sky webpage from Timeanddate.com.
The comet will set about 20 minutes after the sun on Wednesday, said Cooke from NASA, and it will be hard to see the comet without special equipment.
“The situation will not improve as January progresses, as the comet will diminish in brightness,” he told Paste BN Monday.
According to Cooke, the comet has passed perihelion, or an orbit’s closest point to the sun. Because it has passed this point, those in the U.S. have a very low chance of seeing the comet.
Australia may fare better, Cooke said, adding that people in Australia will likely be able to see the comet just after sunset in a few days.
Those in the Northern Hemisphere may also fare better if they want to see Comet C/2024 G3, specifically over the next two weeks, wrote Stahl of the Planetary Society on the organization's website.
He added that skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere will possibly be able to see the comet just after sunset, above the horizon in the west.
“Every day, the comet will start the evening higher in the evening sky,” Stahl wrote. “This will be the best time for observers in the Southern Hemisphere to spot Comet C/2024 G3.”
Tips for getting the best view of the comet
Other tips Stahl listed to see Comet C/2024 G3 include:
- Try to choose a darker location to see the comet
- Go to a location with a good view of the horizon because the comet will not appear very high up in the sky until it's dimmer
- Give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dark
- If you’re looking with both eyes, look slightly above the comet. This will give you a better view of details in the sky
Mars will look like it has disappeared during Monday night space event
Those who miss the comet will still have the chance to see a cool space event Monday night, said Brothers, from MIT.
There will be a lunar occultation of Mars. That means Mars will slip behind the Moon, making it seem like the planet has disappeared, he told Paste BN, adding that there may not be another lunar occultation of Mars for another decade or so.
According to NASA, those gazing up at the sky may be able to see the lunar occultation with the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope. It will last for over an hour in some parts of the country.
Robert Vanderbei, a Professor of Operations Research and Financial Engineering in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton, said for some people, 9 p.m. may be the best time to see the lunar occultation.
"That’s much more exciting," he said. "I’m hoping to catch pics of that."
NASA recommends checking Stellarium Web or the Astronomical League’s ‘Moon Occults Mars’ chart to find out the best time to see it in your area.
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.