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A uncommon “sungrazer” comet is about to move very near our star and will change into seen in daylight — or it may utterly disintegrate earlier than our eyes. Both manner, there could possibly be one thing particular to see within the night time sky, with a big tail probably seen late this week.
Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) was found Jan. 13 by French astronomers on the AMACS1 Observatory in Chile. Though the comet was initially thought to have a nucleus measuring round 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) extensive, astronomers later lowered the estimate to below 0.25 miles (0.4 km) based mostly on James Webb House Telescope observations taken in February.
C/2026 A1 (MAPS) is anticipated to get inside 98,000 miles (158,000 km) of the solar’s floor and move by the decrease areas of the solar’s outer ambiance, or corona, at 9:30 a.m. EDT (13:30 UTC) Saturday (April 4), in line with the British Astronomical Affiliation (BAA). In response to the European House Company, many Kreutz sungrazers evaporate, but when they survive, they might placed on a spectacular present.
As a result of C/2026 A1 (MAPS) is touring into the solar’s glare, it will likely be tough to see earlier than April 4. If it survives its shut encounter with the solar — even when it fragments — it may change into seen for a short while after sundown within the evenings that comply with. Except it breaks aside earlier than it will get near the solar, there will probably be a chance of seeing a probably massive and vibrant tail within the western night sky beginning round April 9, in line with the BAA.
If that happens, Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) would be the first of two comets seen in April, with the possible dimmer however extra predictable C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) set to change into a simple binocular goal near April 20.
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