Sydney stargazers, you’re in for a treat – this week, one of the brightest comets of 2025 will shine bright in the sky above our city. Occurring just once every 160,000 years, comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) passed its closest point to the sun on January 13. Over the next few days, the rare comet will emerge from the sun’s glare, becoming visible across the Southern Hemisphere. If you missed the January full moon, then be sure not to miss this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
When comet G3 reached its closest point to the sun, it flared up to an impressive magnitude of -3.4 — significantly brighter than Jupiter, which shines at a maximum magnitude of -2.8. This makes it one of the brightest comets witnessed in almost two decades.
From as early as January 16 or 17, comet G3 should start to become visible in the Southern Hemisphere. The best time to spot it in Australia will be shortly after sunset when it's positioned low on the western horizon. Initially, the comet will be quite close to the sun, making it tricky to spot. However, it will grow brighter as the days pass, before drifting too far from the sun that it becomes too faint to see. While binoculars will increase visibility, it’s important to take caution when using them, as the comet’s close proximity to the sun could cause harm to your eyes.
You can check out if and when the comet will be visible from your location on timeanddate.com here.
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