Once-in-a-lifetime comet visible tonight. It won't return for 1,60,000 years

Skywatchers around the world are in for a spectacular treat tonight as Comet G3 ATLAS reaches its peak brightness. This rare celestial event, occurring just once every 160,000 years, will see the comet come within 8.7 million miles of the Sun at its perihelion, offering a fleeting opportunity for observers to witness its brilliance. Discovered on April 5, 2024, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System in Chile, G3 ATLAS was initially faint, shining at a magnitude of +19. This surge has led to predictions that the comet could outshine prominent planets like Venus and Jupiter, potentially becoming the brightest comet seen in nearly two decades.