A rare opportunity in 160,000 years! Comet ATLAS will pass by Earth: find out when and who will be able to see it.

One of the comets discovered by the ATLAS telescope (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) is approaching Earth. It will reach its closest point to the Sun (perihelion) in mid-January.

This comet, C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), has an orbital period of approximately 160,000 years. It was discovered on April 5, 2024, and is currently located in the constellation Sagittarius, about 157.8 million kilometers from Earth. The comet will come close to our planet on January 13/14, 2025, during its perihelion.

Estimates suggest it may reach a brightness of -4, potentially making it visible to the naked eye. It will be positioned close to the Sun, complicating observations from the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, from January 10 to 12, viewers should look southeast before sunrise, and from January 13 to 15, they should observe southwest right after sunset. Additionally, the SOHO space telescope will monitor the comet starting January 11.

This comet's visit to the Sun could be critical. As it approaches the Sun, there is a risk that the comet may disintegrate. It's worth noting that if the comet has previously undergone such a trial, its breakup is less likely; however, if it has not yet approached the Sun, this possibility exists.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported that a physicist proved that if time loops exist, the familiar laws of nature may operate differently within them. This is referred to as overcoming the "grandfather paradox" regarding time travel.