Rare Comet C2026 A1: Daytime Viewing Opportunity Near Sun

A new comet that is hurtling towards the Sun is said to have the potential to become a “Great Comet” next April. The comet is named C/2026 A1 (MAPS), and is thought to belong to the Kreutz sungrazer family, a rare group of comets that pass very close to the Sun.

C/2026 A1 was discovered January 13, 2026 by four astronomers at the AMACS1 Observatory, when the comet was in the constellation Columba. From the start, this comet attracted attention because it shone at magnitude ~18 when it was still about twice the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Initial observations also estimated the comet’s nucleus to be about 2.4 km in diameter.

Now, C/2026 A1 is traveling towards perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, which is expected to occur on April 4-5 2026. Provisional predictions say the comet will pass at a distance of ~783,892 km from the surface of the Sun, a trajectory that is considered extremely close. At these distances, comets are at risk of disintegration: the high heat can trigger a massive release of gas, tearing apart the comet’s structure, and the Sun’s gravitational pull contributes to aggravating the cracks.

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However, if it manages to survive, this comet has the opportunity to become very bright in Earth’s sky. Estimates say its brightness could reach magnitude -3 to -4 temporarily, equivalent to the brightness of Venus at its peak.

Even though it can be very bright, Kreutz’s comet has a “weakness”: its position being too close to the Sun often makes it difficult to observe. Around April 4, the comet is expected to be only about a thumb’s width from the Sun when viewed from the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

If C/2026 A1 remains intact, this comet has a chance of being visible during the day (with extreme caution because it is close to the Sun). A few days after perihelion, the comet will shift towards the night sky and is predicted to be easier to observe from the Southern Hemisphere. In the southern region, comets are also said to be visible with large telescopes at the end of March. (Forbes, EarthSky, The Conversation/Z-10)