| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | ATLAS-W68 |
| Discovery date | 5 April 2024 |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch | 6 June 2024 (JD 2460467.5) |
| Observation arc | 206 days |
| Number of observations | 271 |
| Perihelion | 0.09 AU |
| Semi-major axis | 2,631 AU (inbound) 6,135 AU (outbound) |
| Eccentricity | 0.9999970(Epoch 1 Jan 2022) 1.0000141(Epoch 6 Jun 2024) 0.9999973(Epoch 1 Jan 2028) |
| Orbital period | 135,000 years (inbound) 450,500 years (outbound) |
| Inclination | 116.852° |
| 220.331° | |
| Argument of periapsis | 108.127° |
| Next perihelion | 13 January 2025 |
| Earth MOID | 0.4826 AU |
| Jupiter MOID | 3.8373 AU |
| Comet total magnitude (M1) | 8.8 |
| Comet nuclear magnitude (M2) | 12.4 |
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is a long-periodic, sungrazing comet, which will pass perihelion on January 13, 2025 at a distance of 0.09 AU from the Sun. Theoretically, it could become the brightest comet of 2025, exceeding apparent magnitude of –2.0. Before perihelion, as well as after it, it is observed only in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere has only daytime visibility.