TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Skywatchers in Indonesia may have a chance to observe two comets this month after sunset or before dawn, weather permitting, according to astronomer Avivah Yamani of the South Sky Community in Bandung.
The two comets are C/2026 A1 (MAPS) and C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS), both of which are expected to be visible at different times in April 2026, although observation conditions remain challenging. C/2026 A1 (MAPS), a sungrazing comet, made its closest approach to the Sun on April 4, while C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) is expected to reach perihelion on April 19.
Avivah said C/2026 A1 (MAPS) is a sungrazer, meaning it passes extremely close to the Sun. The comet reached perihelion on Saturday, April 4, at a distance of about 161,000 kilometers from the Sun’s surface, placing it among the rare comets that survive — or disintegrate — under intense solar heat.
If the comet survived its close solar encounter, Avivah said it could be observed from Earth starting April 9 through the end of the month, appearing low in the western sky near the constellation Cetus shortly after sunset.
“The observation window is narrow, from sunset to about an hour later,” Avivah said on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
She noted that the comet is expected to be faint, meaning observers will likely need a telescope or binoculars to spot it. Its position in the sky will gradually climb higher as sunset occurs later in the month.
“By mid-April, its altitude will be approximately 15 degrees after sunset,” Avivah said, adding that the comet is expected to move toward the constellation Taurus by late April.
Even if visible, C/2026 A1 (MAPS) would likely appear as a faint fuzzy patch rather than a dramatic streak across the sky. Because of its slow apparent motion, its shift against the background stars would only become noticeable over several hours or days.
However, the comet’s visibility remains uncertain. Recent skywatching reports suggest C/2026 A1 (MAPS) may have broken apart during its close pass by the Sun, a common fate for sungrazing comets. If confirmed, only remnants of its tail may remain visible in the days following perihelion.
The second object, C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS), is considered the more promising target for amateur observers.
Avivah said the comet can be seen in the eastern sky before sunrise from April 9 to 17, appearing in the constellation Pegasus before dawn. It is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun on April 19, after which it will become too close to the Sun to observe temporarily.
“It can be observed again starting from early May after sunset,” Avivah said.
Unlike MAPS, C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) is expected to move more noticeably across the sky, passing through several constellations over the course of the month, including Pegasus, Pisces, Aries, and Cetus.
Astronomers estimate the comet could become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye under dark skies, although visibility forecasts remain uncertain.
Some skywatching reports say it may reach about magnitude 8, which would still require binoculars, while more optimistic projections suggest it could brighten to around magnitude 3, making it visible without optical aid.
If it brightens as expected, C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) could become one of the most striking objects in the southern hemisphere evening sky from late April to early May 2026.
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