A newly discovered comet, C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), has dramatically broken apart after a close encounter with the sun, as confirmed by recent telescope observations. The fragmentation was captured in detail by astronomers using both robotic and traditional telescopes, offering a rare glimpse into the volatile nature of these icy visitors.
Comet’s Close Approach and Initial Breakup
The comet made its closest approach to the sun on October 8th, and subsequent images revealed the disintegration of its icy core, or nucleus. Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project documented the breakup, showing multiple distinct fragments emerging from the original comet.
“The images clearly show three fragments of the original nucleus, with a possible fourth one also present,” Masi stated.
The observations, taken between November 11th and 18th, used a Celestron C14 telescope and a sensitive CCD camera to capture 60-second exposures. These exposures were combined into an animation showing the fragments moving relative to one another.
Further Fragmentation Confirmed
Additional observations from the Asiago Observatory in Italy on November 11th using the 1.82-meter Copernicus telescope confirmed that the comet had already split into at least two separate fragments, spaced roughly 1,200 miles apart. Astronomers also suspected the presence of a third, fainter fragment at the time.
Origin and Significance of Comets Like ATLAS
Comet ATLAS, like many long-period comets, is thought to originate from the Oort cloud – a distant reservoir of icy bodies surrounding our solar system. This region, located at the fringes of the sun’s gravitational influence, contains billions of small icy objects.
The disintegration of comets near the sun is a common occurrence, as solar heat causes volatile materials to vaporize, breaking apart the icy structure. Studying these events provides valuable insights into the composition and behavior of comets, which are considered remnants from the early solar system.
The breakup of C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) is a vivid reminder of the dynamic processes shaping our solar system and the transient nature of these celestial visitors.
The comet’s fragmentation offers a unique opportunity for astronomers to study the composition and behavior of icy bodies under extreme conditions. The event underscores the violent yet natural forces at play in our solar system.
