Comet ATLAS Disintegrates: New Telescope Images

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Dramatically Disintegrates, Captured in Stunning Detail

A newly discovered comet, designated C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), is currently falling apart, and the dramatic disintegration has been captured in high-resolution footage by powerful telescopes in Hawaii and Italy. The observations,released on Thursday,January 29,reveal a celestial body succumbing too the intense forces of the sun,offering astronomers a rare glimpse into the fragile nature of these icy wanderers.

A Comet’s Demise Unfolds

The fragmentation of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) was first observed in November and December of last year, with recent imagery confirming the comet’s continued breakdown. The Gemini North telescope, an 8.1-meter optical/infrared telescope located atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii and part of the International Gemini Observatory, provided crucial data. Glowing pieces of the comet are clearly visible in the telescope’s observations, funded by the national Science Foundation.

The comet, a loosely bound collection of ice and dust, made its closest approach to the sun on October 8, after sweeping around the star in October. It was the sun’s powerful gravity and the constant stream of particles from the solar wind that ultimately initiated the comet’s fragmentation into several distinct chunks.

Did you know? – Comets are often described as “dirty snowballs” because they are composed of ice, dust, rock, and frozen gases. These materials were formed in the early solar system.

Autonomous Observations Confirm Disintegration

These findings are corroborated by observations from other observatories. Astronomer Gianluca Masi, of the virtual Telescope Project in Italy, imaged the breaking-apart comet in early November using a Celestron C14 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Masi reported observing “three fragments of the original nucleus and possibly a fourth one,” in a statement accompanying the images.

Similarly, astronomers at the Asiago Observatory in italy observed the comet in two fragments, separated by approximately 1,200 miles (2,000 km), on November 11, utilizing a 1.82-meter Copernicus telescope.

Pro tip – when observing comets, look for a fuzzy patch of light that may exhibit a tail. Dark skies, away from city lights, are essential for optimal viewing.

Origins in the Oort Cloud

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) was originally discovered in May 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact last Alert System. Scientists believe it originated from the Oort Cloud, a vast, distant reservoir of icy bodies located far beyond the orbit of Neptune.The Oort Cloud is thought to contain billions of comets, which may remain in distant orbits for eons before a gravitational disturbance sends them hurtling towards the inner solar system.

These long-period comets, originating from the Oort Cloud, are especially valuable to astronomers studying the early solar system. Unlike more frequent visitors like Halley’s Comet,which originate closer to the sun,Oort Cloud comets are considered more pristine,preserving a clearer record of the solar system’s formation.

Reader question – Have you ever tried to photograph a comet? What challenges did you encounter, and what equipment did you use?

Capturing a Celestial Event

For those hoping to observe these distant visitors, resources are available to aid in astrophotography. Guides detailing the best smart telescopes,cameras,and lenses for capturing images of comets can help skywatchers document these rare events.

Readers who have captured their own images of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) are encouraged to share them with Space.com at [email protected]. The ongoing disintegration of this comet