Tootfinder

Will THIS become the comet of the year if not decade? "6AC4721" doesn't even have a proper number or name but it is on a #Kreutz orbit that will bring it very close to the Sun in April - and was discovered already farther from the Sun than even Ikeya-Seki, whatever that means: https://www.facebook.com/groups/227002358661288/posts/1665380981490078/ and https://astronomynow.com/2026/01/16/potentially-bright-sungrazing-comet-discovered/ and https://x.com/JAtanackov/status/2012283238807482804 discuss the uncertain outcome of the adventure. In any case here is the comet last night: "Kreutz Comet 6AC4721 is currently brighter than expected,." write G. Rhemann and M. Jäger: "A deeper image from Namibia (Jan 16.91, 12“/3.6 12x120sec with Asi 6200) already shows a 2' coma and 85” coma in Pa 41. The total brightness measured with the Tycho Tracker was 16m5."

The new #Kreutz #comet discovered unusually early has been named C/2026 A1 (MAPS): #photosphere on 4 April and becoming a bright comet.

The new #Kreutz #comet is now C/2026 A1 (MAPS): http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/005600/CBET005658.txt and #perihelion is highly uncertain but there is hope as https://www.facebook.com/groups/227002358661288/posts/1670699484291561 and https://groups.io/g/comets-ml/topic/117373975#msg34667 explain. And if MAPS makes it to perihelion and is (very) bright then coronagraphs on the ground might be able to catch it against the inner corona as the following table - calculated with https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/app.html#/ - shows.