Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) was hoped to be visible to the naked eye in the next few days, but unfortunately disintegrated as it skimmed past the sun.
A comet that was hoped to be visible to the naked eye over the coming days has been gobbled up by the sun.The comet, named Comet ATLAS , passed its closest point to Earth on October 24, and was due to light up the sky after swinging closely past the sun.Unfortunately, the comet appears to have disintegrated as it reached its perihelion on October 28, melting into nothingness as it skimmed only 750,000 miles from the surface of our star.
'The Kreutz sungrazers are small cometary nuclei passing closely above the solar surface or diving into the Sun. Among the astronomers, it is generally believed that these nuclei are the fragments released from a common progenitor. Since the ejection speed from the progenitor was relatively small, their orbital ellipses are similar,' Lubos Neslusan, an astronomer at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, told Newsweek.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Atlas comet tracker: Last chance to spot comet that may never returnOuter space is giving stargazers a rare, celestial treat - an icy comet that will take 80,000 years to return – if it survives the trip – in the night sky! Here's how you can view it before it leaves our solar system:
Read more »
Atlas comet: When's your best chance to spot comet that may never returnAn icy comet that will take 80,000 years to return – if it survives the trip – is streaking across the sky this October.
Read more »
Atlas comet: Why this weekend is best time to see comet, meteor showerThis weekend would be a great time to look for a comet in your night sky. The Weather Authority says we'll have clear skies this weekend, and the best time to look for the comet is just after dusk.
Read more »
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS photobombs SOHO spacecraft during powerful solar flare (video)Meredith is a regional Murrow award-winning Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and science/space correspondent. She most recently was a Freelance Meteorologist for NY 1 in New York City & the 19 First Alert Weather Team in Cleveland.
Read more »
Watch comet ATLAS burn up as it flies into the sun (video)Brett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies, alternative launch concepts, military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems. Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American, The War Zone, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery and more.
Read more »
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS wows skywatchers around the world and astronauts in space (photos, video)Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K.
Read more »