Comet C/2025 R3 Panstarrs: Views from Austria
"Comet Pan-STARRS has now reached the point in its orbit closest to the Sun, where it is beginning to produce beautiful jets."
Discovered by the Pan-STARRS survey in September 2025, the comet is diving toward its closest approach to the sun (0.50 AU) on April 19, 2026, bringing it well inside the orbit of Venus. If current trends continue, the comet could brighten to magnitude +2, easily seen and photographed in the pre-dawn sky.
The comet's brightness will receive a further boost between April 24-25 when it passes almost directly between Earth and the Sun. The process is called "forward scattering." Sunlight passing through the comet's dusty atmosphere could be amplified 100-fold or more.
We will not be able to see the April 24 surge from Earth. The comet will be too close to the Sun. However, coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) will have a great view of what could briefly become a truly magnificent object.
Image 2 Details: C/2025 R3 2026-04-09 2.45 UT 2x150sec blue 1x150sec green 12"/4 Lacerta-Newton QHY 600 2x2 bin Michael Jäger, Gerald Rhemann G00 Martinsberg
Location: Astronomisches Zentrum Martinsberg (AZM), Martinsberg, Austria
Date: April 8-9, 2026
#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025R3Panstarrs #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #MichaelJaeger #GeraldRhemann #Astrophotographers #AZMMartinsberg #Austria #Europe #STEM #Education
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