Astronomers may have already spotted the 'Great Comet of 2026' — and it could soon be visible to the naked eye

Astronomers discovered comet C/2025 R3 in September 2025, and it's now racing toward the sun for an April 20 close encounter that could make it visible to the naked eye. The comet will pass within 47.4 million miles of the sun before approaching Earth on April 27, coming within 44 million miles of our planet. While some scientists predict it will only be visible through telescopes, others estimate it could reach magnitude 2.5 brightness, making it clearly visible without equipment and potentially earning the title of 2026's "Great Comet."