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Credit & Copyright: Milen Minev (Bulgarian Inst. of Astronomy and
NAO Rozhen),
Velimir Popov,
Emil Ivanov (Irida Observatory)
Explanation:
Cruising through
the inner solar system, Comet ATLAS C2019/Y4 has apparently
fragmented.
Multiple separate condensations within its diffuse coma are visible in
this
telescopic close-up
from April 12, composed of
frames tracking the comet's motion against trailing background stars.
Discovered at the end of December 2019, this comet ATLAS showed a
remarkably rapid increase in brightness in late March.
Northern hemisphere
comet
watchers held out hope
that it would become a bright nake-eye comet as it
came closer to Earth in late April and May.
But
fragmenting ATLAS
is slowly
fading
in northern skies.
The breakup of comets is not uncommon though.
This comet ATLAS is in an orbit similar to the
Great Comet of 1844
(C/1844 Y1)
and both may be fragments of a single larger comet.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: comet
Publications with words: comet
See also:
- APOD: 2025 February 5 Á Comet G3 ATLAS Setting over a Chilean Hill
- APOD: 2025 February 2 Á Comet G3 ATLAS Disintegrates
- APOD: 2025 January 28 Á Comet G3 ATLAS over Uruguay
- APOD: 2025 January 26 Á The Many Tails of Comet G3 ATLAS
- Comet G3 ATLAS: a Tail and a Telescope
- APOD: 2025 January 21 Á Comet ATLAS over Brasilia
- APOD: 2025 January 20 Á Comet ATLAS Rounds the Sun