Spectacular “Easter Comet” Could Be Visible in Daylight
A newly discovered comet is rapidly approaching the sun, and could put on a spectacular reveal this weekend. Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) was discovered on January 13th and is predicted to pass just 162,000 kilometers above the sun’s surface on Saturday, April 4th at 4:23 PM Norwegian time – roughly a third of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
According to astrophyicist Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard, the result could be a truly eye-catching phenomenon, or simply a dust cloud dissipating into nothing. The comet belongs to the Kreutz family of sun-grazing comets, known for producing bright comets throughout history. This event is attracting significant interest due to the potential for a dramatic display.
The proximity to the sun could cause significant evaporation and a dramatic increase in brightness if the comet’s core survives the passage. The core is estimated to be around 400 meters in size, comparable to Comet Lovejoy, which survived a similar encounter with the sun in 2011.
“If the comet behaves like large sun-grazing comets that have been observed previously, it could even be visible in daylight,” Ødegaard stated. In Norway, the comet may be easiest to spot on April 5th and 6th – Easter Sunday and Monday – a few minutes after sunset, slightly to the left of where the sun went down.
Still, Ødegaard cautions that the outcome is highly uncertain. The comet’s core could disintegrate before, during, or immediately after the passage. “If that happens, the brightness will quickly decrease, and the phenomenon will fizzle out as a cloud of dust gradually dissolves,” he explained. Images from the SOHO solar observatory are expected to provide answers shortly after the passage.
This event highlights the unpredictable nature of comets, and the challenges of predicting their behavior as they interact with the sun. The potential for a daylight sighting is particularly rare, making this a noteworthy event for astronomers and skywatchers alike.
Another recent astronomical event, the potential visibility of Comet ATLAS, was similarly noted, with the possibility of it becoming visible without a telescope in the coming weeks. More information on astronomical events can be found here.
