Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3), dubbed the 'New Year comet', is predicted to be bright in early 2025. However, its visibility will be limited to the Southern Hemisphere due to its position and trajectory.
Will there be a bright naked-eye comet to begin 2025? It’s possible — but the reality likely won't match the hype around the so-called “New Year comet,” also called comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3). While potentially bright — and soon — comet ATLAS G3 will primarily (and only briefly) be visible only to observers in the Southern Hemisphere, according to astronomers.
Here’s what you need to know about this cosmic snowball from the outer solar system — and why it’s probably not the dazzling spectacle some might expect. It reaches its closest point to the Sun — on Jan. 13, 2025. On that date, it will come within just 8.3 million miles (13.5 million kilometers) of the sun. That's less than a third of Mercury’s average distance from the sun. Jan. 13 will also see comet ATLAS G3's closest approach to Earth, potentially shining as brightly as magnitude -4.5. That could rival Venus in the night sky. Despite these promising details, there’s a catch. The comet’s position in the constellation Sagittarius means it will be visible only from the Southern Hemisphere after sunset. Northern Hemisphere observers likely won’t get a chance to see Comet ATLAS G3 due to its trajectory and low position in the sky. When Is Ramadan 2025? When It Starts And When It Ends With A Solar Eclipse The intense heat and gravitational forces At 8.3 million miles (13.5 million kilometers) of the sun could cause the comet to disintegrate before it becomes visible in the evening sky. If it does survive, it should be a pretty object in the evenings after Jan. 13 — but only from the Southern Hemisphere. Even for seasoned skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere, the timing of comet G3’s perihelion could pose challenges on Jan. 13. , a bright, full “Cold Moon” will rise in the east, directly opposite the comet in the west. The moonlight will reduce contrast and make spotting the comet more difficult
COMET ATLAS 'NEW YEAR COMET' BRIGHT COMET SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ASTRONOMY
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