The rare comet that may become visible in Manitoba this week

This image shows Comet Atlas, nicknamed the 'Halloween comet,' approaching its closest to the sun, October 2024, as seen in this real-time image from NASA’s orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. (NASA via AP)

A rare comet is expected to light up the sky this week, though it’s still unknown if it will be visible here on earth.

It’s called Comet 2024 G3 (ATLAS) and it’s never been through the solar system before.

According to Manitoba Museum planetarium astronomer Scott Young, this is a “very unusual comet.”

He said experts do not know how this comet will behave, including whether it will get much brighter or fade away.

“This comet comes very, very close to the sun and that means it gets very bright, but it also means it’s very close to the sun,” he said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Monday.

“So you have to either go out right at sunset just as the sun has set or you have to go right at sunrise.”

Currently, the comet is so close to the sun that it’s only up in the daytime, which means visibility will depend on what happens Monday and Tuesday nights.

Young explained that it’s a race between the comet’s brightness as it goes away from the sun and whether it will be visible during the bright twilight skies.

“That’s the thing about comets, we never know exactly what they’re going to do until they do it,” he said.

Young cautions that you never want to look directly at the sun, so it is best to ensure it’s completely below the horizon.

For your best chance at seeing the comet, he said to go outside at sunset and as soon as the sun is below the horizon, start scanning the sky using binoculars.

“Very, very low,” he said.

“So you have to be in a place where’s there’s no building or trees or things like that - a nice flat horizon to give you a good view.”

If the comet is bright enough, Manitobans will be able to catch a glimpse either Monday or Tuesday night.

“If it works out, we’ll get an amazing view,” Scott said.

“It might not work out though, so you have to have a bit of patience with Mother Nature and take what she gives.”

If anyone in Manitoba is able to capture an image of the comet, Young asks you to send it his way at the Manitoba Museum.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé