A newly discovered comet, C/2026 A1 (MAPS), identified on January 13 in the Atacama Desert, may become visible to the naked eye in early April as it passes 120.000 km from the Sun, repeating historical trajectories of Kreutz sungrazing comets.
Recent discovery and extreme trajectory of the comet
Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) was detected by a team of four amateur astronomers using a remotely operated telescope in the Atacama Desert. Soon after identification, it became clear that the object belongs to the Kreutz sungrazing comet family.
This type of comet travels in an extremely elongated orbit around the Sun, approaching the star dangerously close. In early April, comet MAPS will reach an estimated minimum distance of 120.000 km from the solar surface.
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If the comet survives this passage, known as perihelion, it may exhibit a significant increase in brightness. There is a possibility that it could become visible even in broad daylight, although there is a risk of disintegration before this critical point.
The Kreutz family of sungrazing comets
Over the course of approximately 2.000 years, several extremely bright comets have suddenly appeared near the Sun. Many of them reached sufficient luminosity to be observed during the day, and have historically been classified as “Great Comets”.
Among these events is the Great Comet of 1965, C/1965 S1 (Ikeya-Seki), considered the brightest of the 20th century. Discovered just a month before perihelion, it reached a brightness comparable to that of the full moon and was easily visible to the naked eye during the day.
Another striking example was the Great Comet of 1882, C/1882 R1, which was one hundred times brighter than the full moon. Its intense brightness dominated the sky for several months, making it one of the most impressive comets ever recorded.
Common origin and fragmentation of a megacomet
Studies indicate that all these comets belong to the same lineage, the Kreutz family, originating from a single giant cometary nucleus. This megacomet, with a diameter of over 100 km, is believed to have approached the Sun dangerously close, possibly between the 3rd and 4th centuries BC.
After this close approach, already far from the Sun, the nucleus fragmented into two large bodies and numerous smaller pieces. Centuries later, these fragments returned to perihelion, giving rise to the multiple comets observed throughout history.
Reports from 363 AD suggest that several comets of this family were visible simultaneously in broad daylight. In the 11th century, the two largest remaining fragments produced the Great Comets of 1106 and 1138, which also fragmented again.
Since then, the products of these successive fragmentations have been observed as a series of comets over the last two centuries, keeping the lineage of Kreutz sungrazing comets active.
Modern observations and the role of solar probes
Currently, the Kreutz family includes numerous small fragments that disintegrate before reaching perihelion, as well as some larger ones capable of generating significant spectacular displays. NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, known as SOHO, has detected thousands of these fragments over the years.
Most of these objects are only a few meters or tens of meters in diameter. Larger fragments are observed much less frequently, which makes each new candidate for a Great Comet an event eagerly awaited by the astronomical community.
The last major Kreutz comet observed was recorded in 2011. Discovered by Queensland astronomer Terry Lovejoy, the comet narrowly survived perihelion and reached a brightness comparable to that of Venus in late December of that year.
Predictions and expectations for comet MAPS
According to predictions by Czech-American astronomer Zdeněk Sekanina, two large sungrazing comets could appear in the coming decades, with one possibly appearing within the next two years. Comet MAPS fits into this expected scenario.
The newly discovered comet has already set a record by being identified at a greater distance from the Sun than any other sungrazing comet at the time of discovery. This factor suggests that it may be a relatively large fragment of the Kreutz family.
The previous record belonged to comet Ikeya-Seki in 1965. However, technological advances in recent decades indicate that it is unlikely that the nucleus of comet MAPS will be as large as that of that historic event.
Recent observations show a steady increase in the comet’s brightness, reinforcing the hypothesis that it is a larger fragment and not a body undergoing accelerated disintegration, as initially thought.
What can happen after perihelion?
It is still too early to accurately determine the final behavior of comet MAPS. If the comet survives its perihelion passage, it could provide a significant spectacle in early or mid-April, especially in the southern hemisphere.
Even if it doesn’t reach daytime visibility, the comet should be extensively recorded by the SOHO probe, providing detailed images of its solar approach. In the following days, the comet will enter the night sky.
Thanks to its orbit, typical of Kreutz comets, observation will be more favorable in the southern hemisphere. A late fragmentation during its passage by the Sun could result in a sudden and unexpected brightening, creating a particularly striking scene.
For now, astronomers are closely monitoring the comet’s evolution, waiting to see if it will become another notable chapter in the long history of Kreutz sungrazing comets or if it will quietly dissipate before its decisive moment.