Comet C/2026 A1 to skim Sun on April 4, may outshine Venus

• Discovered on January 13 in Chile's Atacama Desert, Comet C/2026 A1 is racing towards the Sun.
• It is identified as a Kreutz family sungrazer, known for dramatic encounters with the Sun.
• On April 4, the comet will pass just 125,000 kilometers above the Sun’s surface, closer than most satellites orbit Earth.
• If it survives, computer models suggest it could reach a brightness similar to Venus or even the full Moon, potentially visible in daylight.
• Observers in the Southern Hemisphere (Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) have the best chance to see it; Northern Hemisphere viewing will be more difficult.