A comet identified a few weeks ago has attracted the attention of the astronomical community due to its unusual and high-risk trajectory. Named C/2026 A1 (MAPS), the object was observed for the first time on January 13 by amateur astronomers from the Atacama Desert, in Chile, and is now heading towards the interior of the solar system. The information was gathered from the website Adventures in History.
The interest surrounding C/2026 A1 is linked to its extreme route. Projections indicate that it should reach perihelion — the closest point to the Sun — in early April, passing around 120,000 kilometers from the solar surface. This is a distance considered critical, capable of both drastically intensifying the comet’s brightness and causing its fragmentation.
This type of celestial body belongs to the group known as Sun-grazing comets, characterized by very elongated orbits and dangerous approaches to the star. Under these conditions, intense radiation and gravitational forces often transform the object’s behavior into something unpredictable.
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If the nucleus of C/2026 A1 resists thermal and gravitational stress, experts estimate that it could become one of the most visible comets in recent years. There is the possibility that the brightness is sufficient for observation with the naked eye, including at times close to sunrise or sunset, a rare phenomenon, but already recorded in historical events.
Astronomers remember that members of the same family have already made remarkable appearances. One of the most cited examples is comet Ikeya-Seki, observed in 1965, which reached a brightness comparable to that of the full Moon before fragmenting after passing close to the Sun.
On the other hand, the outcome may be less spectacular. Many comets of this type disintegrate before reaching their maximum point of visibility. Even in this scenario, the trajectory of C/2026 A1 must be monitored by space instruments, such as the SOHO solar observatory, which monitors objects close to the Sun.
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If it survives, the most favorable period for observation from Earth should occur between early and mid-April. In this interval, the combination between the brightness of the nucleus and the development of the cloud of dust and gas that surrounds the comet, can make the object visible in the sky, albeit for a short period.
