Extraordinary ‘sungrazer’ comet could dazzle NYC skywatchers with a stunning show
According to NASA, a sungrazer comet can be defined as a distinct type of comet that passes extremely close to the Sun at its closest point, known as perihelion.
What is a ‘sungrazer’ comet? NYC skywatchers could see one April 5–8
Between April 5–8, a ‘sungrazer’ comet is expected to grace the New York City sky—if it survives its close pass by the Sun, hence the name sungrazer, it could put on a dazzling show visible to the naked eye! Check out this amazing video explaining what a 'sungrazer' is and why it could be such an amazing sight!
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — These past few weeks have been packed with nothing short of spectacular celestial wonders. Skywatchers have been treated to this month’s Blood Moon, the spring equinox, planetary conjunctions, and peak ‘fireball season,’ bringing sudden surprises of shooting stars.
Not to mention, NASA’s first mission in over 50 years to send astronauts into orbit around the Moon—the Artemis II mission—is slated to launch Wednesday night.
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And the excitement isn’t over yet—more celestial treats are on the way.
Between April 5–8, a sungrazer comet is expected to grace the New York City sky—if it survives its close pass by the Sun, it could potentially put on a dazzling show visible to the naked eye.
According to NASA, a sungrazer comet can be defined as a distinct type of comet that passes extremely close to the Sun at its closest point, known as perihelion.
FILE: An image of the Sun from NASA's SOHO spacecraft showing a sungrazing comet highlighted in an inset box.
And a comet is classified as a sungrazer if it approaches within roughly 850,000 miles of the Sun at perihelion, with some coming even closer—sometimes just a few thousand miles away.
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This particular sungrazer headed across the sky this April is called C/2026 A1 (MAPS), sweeping significantly close to the Sun, roughly less than a million miles, according to EarthSky.org.
NASA notes that because these comets get so close to the Sun, it is exposed to intense solar radiation and strong gravitational forces, which put significant stress on it.
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Hence, why there is the possibility comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) might not make it to skywatchers' views.
Specifically, EarthSky.org reports that the comet’s perihelion will occur on April 4–5 and notes that "as of mid-March, the comet is brightening as it approaches the inner solar system."
It had brightened to around magnitude 10 at that time, and models for April suggest it could reach a brightness between +1 and -2 magnitude.
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For reference, magnitude is a scale astronomers use to measure how bright a celestial object appears from Earth, with lower numbers representing brighter objects and higher numbers representing fainter objects.
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That said, comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) is shaping up to be remarkably bright, meaning it has the potential to be seen by the naked eye—provided it survives its close pass to the Sun, ErathSky.org said.
Some models suggest that by early April, it could reach a brightness comparable to that of Venus, the brightest planet.
The comet can be best viewed southwest during or shortly after sunset.
If it survives its trip around the Sun, scientists hope it will put on a spectacularly bright show for the world to see.