Stargazers in Chile were treated to a rare sight. Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), also called the "Great Comet of 2025," lit up the night sky. This comet is the brightest predicted for the year. Its fleeting presence has captured global attention.
The comet was discovered on 5 April 2024. It was first spotted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). Unlike periodic comets, it will not return for thousands of years.
On 13 January 2025, it reached perihelion, its closest point to the sun. At that time, it was just 8 million miles away. This placed it well within Mercury’s orbit. It shone at a magnitude of -3.8, according to the Comet Observation Database. In comparison, Venus currently has a magnitude of -4.8.
Observers in the Southern Hemisphere saw the comet before and after perihelion. Northern Hemisphere viewers caught brief daytime glimpses around that period. After passing the sun, the comet began to break apart. Despite this, it still displayed bright tails. As it moves towards deep space, it is slowly fading. If it survives, it will return in about 600,000 years.
Captured in a Stunning Photograph
On 24 January 2025, astronomer César Briceño photographed the comet. He is the director of the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope. His image, taken over Andacollo, Chile, shows its striking shape.
Briceño used a mirrorless DSLR camera with an 85mm lens. He set the ISO at 1600 and captured ten 30-second exposures. These were stacked to create a detailed view. The image highlights the comet’s coma, the glowing cloud around its nucleus. Its twin tails also stand out. The dust trail reflects sunlight, while the ionised gas tail glows from solar wind effects.
A second image places the comet against Chile’s mountains. The deep blue sky and faint stars add to the beauty. Artificial satellites streak faintly across the frame. As the comet fades, its brief brilliance remains a highlight of 2025.
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