The brightest comet of 2025 will appear in our skies this week. Here's how to see it
The brightest comet of the year is set to appear in our night skies this week as it makes its 160,000-year orbit around the sun.
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) reached perihelion – its closest point of orbit to the sun – on January 13, and in a few days we should be able to see it with the naked eye.
Read on to find out how.
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The G3 comet captured from the Internatinal Space Station via X. X/ Donald Pettit
What is Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)?
The G3 comet was first discovered in April last year by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).
Comets are large objects made of ice and dust that orbit the sun, producing a tail made of either dust or plasma that streaks through space for potentially millions of kilometres.
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Where can I see it in Australia?
The comet will be visible in Australia's evening sky, specifically on the western horizon, from around January 16 or 17.
It will appear as a pinprick of light with a tail streaming away from it. Although visible with the naked eye, binoculars will allow you to view the comet much more clearly.
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Astronomers expect the comet to become brighter as the days go on due to its proximity to the sun, with good views possible during the end of the month.
The comet will appear a little higher in the sky each evening, and remain visible as the sky darkens. As the full moon falls on January 14, its light shouldn't interfere with the comet's visibility by the time it appears.
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