On its way to a close encounter with the Sun, with perihelion expected on April 4–5, 2026, comet MAPS is steadily brightening. By mid-March, it had reached magnitude 10—still far too faint to spot without optical aid. However, as it moves deeper into the inner solar system, and if it survives its close approach, it could make an appearance in Earth’s skies around Easter.
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| Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger - March 10, 2026. |
In early April, some models predict it might shine as brightly as Venus, the brightest planet. But that’s likely an optimistic guess. It will probably reach a magnitude of 1 to -2, making it about as bright as some of the more prominent stars. These estimates are based on its brightness (18th magnitude) when it was still twice Earth’s distance from the sun. Magnitude 18 is far too faint to see with the naked eye, but it’s actually quite bright for a comet at that distance.
Sungrazers can be breathtaking, but their close proximity to the sun makes them hard to see. Even if MAPS glows as brightly as Venus, it will remain near the sun and low on the horizon. Here's a diagram showing the location of MAPS on April 4, at 6:30pm. Notice how close it is to the sun and only about 13° in altitude. Even at magnitude -4 (Venus' brightness) the sun is 1 billion times brighter! Still, there’s a chance we could witness something truly historic.
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| April 8, 7:30pm |
As the month progresses, MAPS will get a bit higher in somewhat darker skies. At 8:00pm on April 15th, altough still low in the western sky (10-15° high), it should become easier to see as the sun is now 4° below the horizon.
By the end of April, it begins to drop in altitude and will grow much dimmer as it moves away from the vicinity of the sun.
Plan ahead and pick a spot with a clear view of the western horizon. We just might get to see another Ikeya–Seki.
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