Comet that won't be seen for next 1,60,000 years visible to naked eyes
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New Delhi: Skywatchers around the globe had a blissful moment of witnessing a rare comet streaking through skies Monday.
The brightest comet to come into Earth's skies in 2025, Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) orbits the Sun every 1,60,000 years.
This means humans occupying Earth thousands of years later may see this celestial event again.
The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile first discovered the comet on April 5, 2024.
Comet G3 ATLAS could get a brightness comparable to that of Venus as it approaches perihelion, making it visible to the naked eyes.
Those who observed from the Southern Hemisphere are particularly lucky.
It will come within approximately 8.7 million miles of Earth and 8.3 million miles from the Sun.
Astronomers noticed a significant uptick in its brightness in recent weeks particularly after an outburst on January 2.
This sudden rise in brightness led to concerns about its stability because comets could often break from intense heat as they come close to the Sun.
The excitement surrounding Comet G3 ATLAS stems from the fact that it is the only comet visible to the naked eye in 2025.
Those who are interested in celestial events should turned their eyes to the skies as the best viewing occurs shortly after sunset on January 14.