New Comet MAPS: Will it Shine in Broad Daylight? Astronomers Excited for April Spectacle

• Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS), a Kreutz sungrazer, was discovered by amateur astronomers in the Atacama desert on January 13.
• It is on an extreme, elongated orbit, set to pass within 120,000km of the Sun's surface in early April.
• If it survives its close approach (perihelion), it could become a spectacular sight in the evening sky and potentially be visible in broad daylight.
• Kreutz sungrazing comets are fragments of a mega-comet that broke apart centuries ago, known for producing some of the brightest comets ever seen.
• Comet MAPS was discovered farther from the Sun than any previous sungrazer, suggesting it might be a larger fragment, though unlikely to match the brightness of Ikeya-Seki (1965).