How to Watch the ‘Headless Comet’ on Halloween

Ghosts won’t be the only things flying through the sky this Halloween season!

Skywatchers are in for an extraterrestrial treat in the days leading up to Oct. 31 because of a rare comet that is swirling through space and has the potential to be viewed from Earth.

This is no trick! NASA confirmed that the space object, known as Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) was first discovered in September by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Hawaii. It is expected to be visible in the week before and after Halloween.

“It may become bright enough to see during the daytime,” according to Gordon Johnston of NASA. 

Comets normally increase brightness the closer they get to the sun. However, this comet, in particular, may have Halloween skygazers saying “boo” since it looks fainter and fainter as it approaches peak proximity to the giant star.

In fact, Comet ATLAS has also been nicknamed the “Headless Comet” — a play off the spooky Headless Horseman tale — because it’s predicted to fizzle out as Halloween draws near. Only a faint display of its tail is expected to be identifiable from Earth as it flies through the sky.

“If it doesn’t break into pieces too small to see around closest approach,” Johnston said the comet “should also be visible” between Nov. 2 and Dec. 19 “as the comet speeds away from the Sun.”

Here’s what to know and how to spot the comet expected near Halloween this year.

When will the Halloween comet be visible?

Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) was first spotted on Sept. 27 this year. It is expected to be visible from Earth in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1 as it makes its way toward the sun.

This comet has been nicknamed the Halloween comet as it’s expected to peak in visibility on Oct. 28 when it will be within about 190,000 miles of the sun’s surface (scientifically known as perihelion).

Chances of spotting the Halloween comet on Oct. 31 are slim, unfortunately, due to the already-faint appearance of the space object. The comet “has almost certainly disintegrated,” according to astronomer Qicheng Zhang of Arizona’s Lowell Observatory, per Space.com.

“There’s probably not much left of its primary core,” he added, therefore giving the Halloween comet another spooky-related nickname: “The Headless Comet.” Viewers may have the opportunity to spot a short-lived fraction of its tail after it sweeps closely around the sun.

Where will the Halloween comet be visible?

Despite the Comet ATLAS’s faint display, there’s still a chance viewers can catch a glimpse from Earth on Halloween. Point your eyes to the sky approximately one hour before sunrise towards the east-southeast horizon on Halloween morning, per Space.com.

The comet’s display is expected to resemble that of an airplane contrail extending up and to the right. There’s potential for visibility in the week that follows, too, as November begins.

How do you watch the Halloween comet?

Fortunately, the Halloween comet has potential to be spotted with the naked eye. While no advanced technology is necessary, binoculars or a telescope could be helpful to increase your chances at identifying the space object whiz through the sky when scanning the horizon.