Comet Fragmentation
-
{
- All
- News
-
NASA's Hubble Telescope Captures Rare Real-Time Breakup Of Comet K1
Co-investigator Noonan noted that Hubble had never before observed a disintegrating comet at such close proximity to the actual moment of fragmentation.
-
13,000-Year-Old Cosmic Airburst Triggered ‘Impact Winter’ and Mass Extinction, Research Suggests
New research points to fragments of a comet exploding over North America approximately 13,000 years ago, sparking firestorms and rapid cooling that could have contributed to the extinction of mammoths. Scientists report finding telltale “shocked” quartz grains at classic Clovis sites dating to the Younger Dryas boundary, evidence of intense he...
-
Mysterious Tail Of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Could Be "Swarm Of Objects", Says Harvard Scientist
The objects could be rocky fragments, structures formed during interstellar travel, or something entirely different.
-
Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Breaks Into Three Pieces Following Close Approach to the Sun
NASA's fractured comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) dazzled stargazers on Monday night, offering a rare live view of a cosmic object breaking apart after a close encounter with the Sun. The livestream, organised by the Virtual Telescope Project, began at 10 p.m. EST on November 24 (0300 GMT on November 25) and will broadcast telescopic views of the comet's mu...
-
Southern Taurid Meteor Shower 2025 Promises Bright Fireballs in a Rare Swarm Year
The Southern Taurid meteor shower peaks overnight on November 4–5, 2025, bringing a rare “swarm year” filled with bright fireballs from Comet Encke’s debris. Skywatchers can expect slow, glowing meteors—some as bright as fireballs—despite interference from the nearly full Moon. Experts predict up to 10 visible Taurid meteors per hour un...
-
Asteroids vs Comets vs Meteors vs Meteorites: What Are They and How Are They Different From Each Other?
Asteroids, comets, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites may seem similar, but each plays a unique role in the Solar System. Asteroids are rocky remnants, comets are icy wanderers, meteors are shooting stars, and meteorites are fragments that survive the plunge to Earth.
-
Comet ATLAS Offers Stunning Display as It Nears the Sun
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) recently passed within 8 million miles of the Sun, capturing the attention of astronomers. Observed by NASA and ESA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the comet’s tail extended dramatically as it encountered intense solar winds, providing a unique opportunity to study the Sun’s impact on comets. The event, wh...
-
Comet C/2024 G3 May Be Breaking Apart After Close Solar Encounter
New observations suggest that Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) might be disintegrating after its close perihelion on January 15, 2025. Images reveal dimming of the comet’s coma and a bright streamer in its tail, indicating possible thermal stress from solar radiation. Experts speculate that structural cracks could be causing gas and dust to escape from th...
-
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
-
NASA's Hubble Telescope Captures Rare Real-Time Breakup Of Comet K1
Co-investigator Noonan noted that Hubble had never before observed a disintegrating comet at such close proximity to the actual moment of fragmentation.
-
13,000-Year-Old Cosmic Airburst Triggered ‘Impact Winter’ and Mass Extinction, Research Suggests
New research points to fragments of a comet exploding over North America approximately 13,000 years ago, sparking firestorms and rapid cooling that could have contributed to the extinction of mammoths. Scientists report finding telltale “shocked” quartz grains at classic Clovis sites dating to the Younger Dryas boundary, evidence of intense he...
-
Mysterious Tail Of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Could Be "Swarm Of Objects", Says Harvard Scientist
The objects could be rocky fragments, structures formed during interstellar travel, or something entirely different.
-
Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Breaks Into Three Pieces Following Close Approach to the Sun
NASA's fractured comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) dazzled stargazers on Monday night, offering a rare live view of a cosmic object breaking apart after a close encounter with the Sun. The livestream, organised by the Virtual Telescope Project, began at 10 p.m. EST on November 24 (0300 GMT on November 25) and will broadcast telescopic views of the comet's mu...
-
Southern Taurid Meteor Shower 2025 Promises Bright Fireballs in a Rare Swarm Year
The Southern Taurid meteor shower peaks overnight on November 4–5, 2025, bringing a rare “swarm year” filled with bright fireballs from Comet Encke’s debris. Skywatchers can expect slow, glowing meteors—some as bright as fireballs—despite interference from the nearly full Moon. Experts predict up to 10 visible Taurid meteors per hour un...
-
Asteroids vs Comets vs Meteors vs Meteorites: What Are They and How Are They Different From Each Other?
Asteroids, comets, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites may seem similar, but each plays a unique role in the Solar System. Asteroids are rocky remnants, comets are icy wanderers, meteors are shooting stars, and meteorites are fragments that survive the plunge to Earth.
-
Comet ATLAS Offers Stunning Display as It Nears the Sun
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) recently passed within 8 million miles of the Sun, capturing the attention of astronomers. Observed by NASA and ESA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the comet’s tail extended dramatically as it encountered intense solar winds, providing a unique opportunity to study the Sun’s impact on comets. The event, wh...
-
Comet C/2024 G3 May Be Breaking Apart After Close Solar Encounter
New observations suggest that Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) might be disintegrating after its close perihelion on January 15, 2025. Images reveal dimming of the comet’s coma and a bright streamer in its tail, indicating possible thermal stress from solar radiation. Experts speculate that structural cracks could be causing gas and dust to escape from th...
-
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
