The sky may host a brief but notable event as early as April 2026. Astronomers are keeping a close eye on a newly discovered sungrazing comet, officially named C/2026 A1 MAPS. It was first spotted in January by a team operating a telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert, Universe Today reports. What makes this comet remarkable is not only its trajectory, but also the conditions it must face. It is set to pass extremely close to the Sun, a region where many comets do not survive. Current data suggests that, if it remains intact after this passage, it may be visible from Earth for a short period of time. The outcome is uncertain, but observations as of April are already providing valuable scientific insights.
Comet C/2026 A1 MAPS will reach closest approach to the Sun on April 4: time and distance
It is estimated that the comet will reach perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on April 4, 2026. Current orbital solutions place this distance at about 1.18 solar radii from the center of the Sun. In practice, as reported by Sky & Telescope, at 9:13 a.m. EDT it is about 160,000 kilometers above the Sun’s visible surface.This trajectory places the comet within the solar corona, the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. The conditions in this region include extremely high temperatures and intense radiation. These factors substantially increase the likelihood of structural disruption. Many comets fragment or disintegrate completely during this phase due to thermal stress and tidal forces.
C/2026 A1 MAPS Discovery and Initial Observations
As reported, C/2026 A1 MAPS was discovered on 13 January 2026 and given a provisional designation before receiving its official name. The acronym “MAPS” comes from the surnames of its discoverers: Alain Maury, Georges Attard, Daniel Parrott and Florian Signoret.At the time of discovery, the comet was located at a distance of approximately 2.056 astronomical units from the Sun, which is equivalent to approximately 307 million kilometers. This is considered a large distance for identifying a comet. Its brightness was measured at magnitude +17.8, indicating that it was faint but detectable with advanced telescopes.
C/2026 A1 MAPS and the origin of its comet group
C/2026 A1 MAPS belongs to the Creutz group of sungrazing comets. This family is believed to have originated from the fragmentation of a much larger parent comet, which was observed in 362 BC. Subsequent fragmentation has produced many smaller comets that follow similar orbits, bringing them very close to the Sun. Historically, several bright comets have been associated with this group. These include the Great Comets of 1843 and 1882, as well as C/1965 Ikea-Seki, which became highly visible during its perihelion passage.The Creutz group is also known for its high rate of disintegration, with only a few members surviving a solar encounter.
C/2026 A1 MAPS Visibility from Earth
As reported by Universe Today, before reaching perihelion, C/2026 A1 MAPS is expected to pass through the constellations Fornax, Eridanus, Cetus and Pisces. In late March, its brightness may improve to about magnitude +10, making it potentially visible with small telescopes under suitable conditions.The comet hails from the southern celestial hemisphere, limiting visibility to observers in northern regions. Its position will be low in the sky especially during twilight. After perihelion, if the comet remains intact, it may briefly reappear in the evening sky. Some estimates suggest that it may shine quite brightly, although such estimates depend largely on its existence.
C/2026 A1 MAPS and space-based observations
Due to the comet’s proximity to the Sun, ground-based observations will be difficult during its closest approach. Space-based instruments provide the most reliable way to track it during this period. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint mission of NASA and ESA, is expected to capture the comet as it enters the field of view of its LASCO instruments. According to Sky & Telescope, it is projected to become visible to the LASCO C3 camera on April 2 and move to the narrow C2 region on April 4.
