Potential Great Comet of 2026 Emerges: C/2025 R3 Pan-STARRS Could Dazzle the Skies
Astronomers say the newly spotted Comet C/2025 R3 (Pan-STARRS) could become 2026’s Great Comet, with perihelion around April 20 and closest approach to Earth on April 27. Brightness is uncertain: some predictions suggest it may reach magnitude 2.5 (visible to the naked eye), while others estimate magnitude 8 (requiring a telescope). The best viewing window is likely around mid‑April near perihelion, with Southern Hemisphere observers possibly seeing it in early May; brightness will depend on forward scattering and how the comet responds to solar radiation.
