Comets are among the most interesting celestial objects to observe. These visitors from the far reaches of the solar system are essentially debris – dust, pieces of rock and frozen gases – left behind by its formation. There are also a number of them. According to NASAthere are probably billions of comets orbiting the Sun around the world. Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. And sometimes we pass close enough to Earth that we can see it.

Comet C/2023 A3 peaked in October 2024 and is already beginning to fade as it moves away from Earth. If you missed it, don’t worry. Another comet is expected to arrive before the end of the year, and a few more in 2025. Here’s what to watch for, plus some tips for optimizing your comet watching.

1. Comet 333P/LINEAR

During its first return to our neighborhood since its discovery in 2007, comet 333P/LINEAR will make its closest approach to the Sun on November 29, 2024 and to Earth on December 9, 2024. It should be visible early in the morning in early December. and late in the evening.

You can You can see it with powerful binoculars, but a telescope is your best bet. 333P/LINEAR will be visible in both hemispheres.

2. Comet C/2024 G3

Researchers determined that C/2024 G3, discovered in April 2024, was a long-period comet originating from the Oort Cloud. It’s come a long way to get here and probably won’t pass us by for at least 200 years, so catch it if you can.

C/2024 G3 is expected to be the brightest comet of 2025. It could even be visible during the day. It reaches perihelion (the point in its passage where it passes closest to the Sun) around January 13, 2025, and will be most visible in the southern hemisphere. If you are not in the Antipodes, you will still be able to see it because it will be at its maximum brightness during the period when it is visible in the northern hemisphere.

One caveat: C/2024 G3 passes extremely close to the Sun, in which case it could fragment or even evaporate.

3. Comet 210P/Christensen

Comet 210P/Christensen will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere in November and December 2025. You can spot this with a good pair of binoculars. It is even possible that it is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. On the other hand, it might not survive its passage in front of the Sun.

Learn more: When was Halley’s Comet last seen and will it ever return?

How to see a comet

There are a few tactics you can implement to improve the chances of spotting your target comet, depending on Samantha Lawlerastronomer at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. This may seem obvious, but to see comets you need to find a dark spot, far from city lights. And try to time your viewing to avoid moonlight.

Lawler also suggests looking online for a good lookup table. Apps are available to help you determine exactly where to look in the sky, but Lawler doesn’t recommend using an app in the field. In fact, you shouldn’t use your phone at all. The light from your device will prevent your eyes from adapting to the dark. If you want to spot a comet and get a good look at it, your eyes need time to adjust to the darkness.

Your comet observing equipment doesn’t need to be complicated or even expensive. Telescopes are best, but binoculars often work too. In fact, binoculars are sometimes better.

“Binoculars are great when you start finding comets,” says Lawler, “simply because they are much easier.” But even experienced comet watchers use them. Lawler used binoculars to observe comet C/2023 A3 this fall.

So grab your gear, put your phone in your pocket, and head to a dark place. We have visitors on the way.

Learn more: 20 things you didn’t know about comets

Article Sources

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Avery Hurt is an independent science journalist. In addition to writing for Discover, she writes regularly for various media outlets, both print and online, including National Geographic, Science News Explores, Medscape, and WebMD. She is the author of Bullet With Your Name on It: What You Will Probably Die From and What You Can Do About It, Clerisy Press 2007, as well as several books for young readers. Avery got her start in journalism while attending college, writing for the school newspaper and editing the nonfiction student magazine. Although she writes about all areas of science, she is particularly interested in neuroscience, the science of consciousness, and AI – interests she developed while earning a degree in philosophy.