STARSTRUCK!

Once-in-a-lifetime ‘sungrazer’ comet set to pass Earth today – it won’t be visible for another 160,000 years

It could shine as bright as Venus, or similar to Tsuchinshan-ATLAS / Comet C/2023 A3 in mid-October

Millie Turner, Senior Technology & Science Reporter

Published: 11:39, 14 Jan 2025
Updated: 12:59, 14 Jan 2025

Incredible moment a fireball comet is spotted racing past stunning aurora towards Earth

'once in a lifetime'

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A BRIGHT comet could be visible in the sky for the first time in 160,000 years - making it a real once-in-a-lifetime display.

It will be one of the brightest comets to pass Earth in 20 years.

a couple standing on top of a hill under a starry night sky — The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS / Comet C/2023 A3 in October 2024Credit: Getty

The space rock, formally known as G3 ATLAS (C/2024), reached peak brightness on 13 January.

It will maintain that glow over the coming days, when experts say it could be visible to the naked eye.

It could shine as bright as Venus, or similar to Tsuchinshan-ATLAS/ Comet C/2023 A3, the "comet of the century" that stunned stargazers in mid-October.

The last time Comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas) passed Earth, humans were beginning to spread across the world after leaving Africa.

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Small 'sungrazer' comets often don't make it past the burning blaze of Earth's closest star.

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Like the 'Halloween Comet' / C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) for example, which flew too close to the Sun and burnt up before stargazers got a chance to see it.

Scientists, however, remain hopeful of comet C/2024 G3 (Atlas)'s prospects.

Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is a pretty old comet, and scientists believe it last passed Earth 160,000 years ago.

What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet?

Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa...

Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth)
Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids
Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it’ll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up
Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn’t vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth’s atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite
Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing)

That means it has already made at least one pass of the Sun in its lifetime - and survived.

In theory, that could mean G3 ATLAS can handle at least another close encounter with the Sun.

While the exact locations for possible visibility are unknown, experts believe it may be best observed from the southern hemisphere.

For the northern hemisphere, including the UK and the US, viewing may be challenging due to the comet's being so close to the Sun.

"As with all comets, its visibility and brightness can be unpredictable," said Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London.

"Observers may have opportunities to spot it in the days around perihelion, depending on local conditions and the comet's behaviour."

He added that viewing opportunities are "notoriously uncertain" and that many comets end up fainter than expected.