Spectacular ‘sun-grazing’ comet to sweep over major US city in less than a week
Anyone living in one of the United States' biggest major cities might want to look towards the sky in the next week, as a spectacular 'sun-grazing' comet is set to be visible above as it reaches its nearest approach to our central star.
It's a big week ahead for the space world, as while much of the attention will be on the impending launch of Artemis II – the closest any NASA astronaut has got to the Moon in over half a century – there is also a fascinating sight that all us regular people can observe in the sky.
In the days following the expected Artemis II launch, which itself has been delayed several times due to numerous issues along the way, anyone currently living in or visiting New York City can see a spectacular comet soar through the sky in a jaw-dropping event.
As reported by Gothamist, this relates to the path of Comet C/2026 A1 MAPS – formerly known under the temporary name of 6AC4721 – as this interstellar object is getting close enough to the Sun to become visible to the naked eye for around 8 million residents of the Big Apple down on Earth.
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Comet C/2026 A1 MAPS is what's known as a Kreutz sungrazer comet, which denotes an orbit that takes the rocky body incredibly close to our solar system's central star.
Comets within this category can be as much as 100 times further from the Sun than Earth at their widest orbit, but this specific comet – measuring just over a mile in diameter – is getting within the comparatively close distance of just under 500,000 miles from the Sun within the next week.
It's expected to make its pass between April 5 and April 8, where it will take on a considerable amount of radiation from the Sun which in turn causes it to appear significantly brighter and have a visible tail.
This is what allows it to be seen by the naked eye in New York City, and if you want to catch a glimpse you should turn your gaze towards the city's southwest where the Sun sets, as this will give you the best chance of observing the spectacular event.
Don't be surprised if nothing is seen though, as there's always an element of uncertainty when it comes to astronomical events, with astrophysicist Jackie Faherty explaining that "comets are notoriously fickle."
She adds that "as exciting as they might be, sometimes they just peter out on us, but it's got a lot of potential. It could be as bright as Venus."
There's also a good chance that the comet will burn up completely after being exposed to the Sun's radiation, but we'll just have to wait and see what the next week brings us.