Kiwis can see a rare comet in New Zealand skies this week, as it passes through the Southern Hemisphere before fading from view. The comet is formally called C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS and is expected to remain visible for about another week. It is not bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, but people may spot it using a camera, binoculars or a telescope.
Astronomer Josh Aoraki from Te Whatu Stardome said the comet is a “long-period comet”. This means it takes a very long time to travel around the Sun. He said it comes from the distant Oort Cloud and has an orbit of around 170,000 years. The comet has a glowing, fuzzy cloud around its centre, called a coma, and a tail made from material pushed away by the Sun’s heat.
Stargazers and photographers have been trying to capture the comet before it disappears. Amateur photographer Brian Diettrich saw it over Wellington on Friday evening and said many people were excited to photograph it. He explained that photographers often take several pictures and stack them together to make the comet clearer. This can be difficult because there is only a short time each evening before the comet drops below the horizon.
Aoraki said the best way to find the comet is to look towards the western horizon about an hour after sunset. A clear view is important, so beaches on the west coast may be good places to try. Diettrich said even a mobile phone might capture it as a small smudge, possibly with part of its tail. The comet is expected to become dimmer over the next few days as it moves away from the Sun.
