Overview
- Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) was discovered in September 2025 by the Pan-STARRS survey in Hawaii.
- It is projected to reach perihelion around April 19–20 and come nearest to Earth about a week later on April 27 at roughly 44 million miles.
- Astronomers say it could be 2026’s brightest comet and possibly visible to the naked eye, though its eventual brightness remains highly uncertain.
- Viewing may be constrained because peak brightness likely coincides with low solar elongation, with the best chances around the New Moon on April 17 before dawn.
- Guides advise scanning the pre-dawn sky toward Pisces, noting that visibility could improve in late April as the comet moves away from the Sun.