A Once-In-600,000-Years Sight: See The Great Comet Of 2025 In One Epic Photo

First discovered in 2024, the Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) nicknamed the Great Comet of 2025 is one of a kind as it passes Earth’s orbit heading for the edge of our solar system. This comet was remarkably photographed as it was visible from the town of Andacollo in Chile. Notably, we might not get a glimpse of this comet in the next 600,000 years!

Remarkable Photo Of The Great Comet Of 2025 That We Might Not See Anymore

In April 2024, the non-periodic comet nicknamed the Great Comet of 2025 was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). This piece of space rock travelling through our solar system travels along an orbit that will take it away from the Earth for over 600,000 years after sighting.

On 13 January 2025, this space rocket reached its closest point to the Sun, perihelion, in its orbit. According to the Comet Observation Database (COBS) at this point, the brightness of this space rock hit its peak point at magnitude -3.8.

This means that at perihelion, this space rock was visible from Earth at night, just like any other planet during the planet parade. True to this fact, observers of the Great Comet of 2025 in the Southern Hemisphere could see the space rock at night.

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere, this space rock was visible to them at perihelion during the day. Observers of this comet in the town of Andacollo in Chile were able to photograph this space rock as it made its way along its orbit.

There are two available photos of this space rock as it makes its way along its orbit. Both photos were taken by Cesar Briceño, Director of the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR) on 12 February 2025.

The Great Comet Of 2025 Is Disintegrating

The Comet Observation Database (COBS) points out that the brightness of this space rock is now greater than magnitude 8. At this magnitude, the Great Comet of 2025 is faint to see. Hence, it shows signs of disintegration, hinting the rock might be dying.

So not only does the photo of this space rock show a comet that we might see in 600,000 years, but it also shows a dying comet. Over the next 600,000 years, Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) might keep disintegrating. It might never make it back to a point where it’ll be visible from Earth.