Comet ATLAS Offers Stunning Display as It Nears the Sun

In mid-January 2025, comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) was observed as it approached within 8 million miles of the Sun, offering a stunning display recorded by the ESA and NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The spacecraft captured images of the comet brightening and its tail extending dramatically as it passed through the Sun's intense environment. This celestial event provided scientists with a valuable opportunity to study the interaction between the solar wind and the comet's tail, revealing insights into solar activity.

Details of the Observation

According to reports from the SOHO mission, the comet was tracked from January 11 to January 2025, using the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) instrument. The Sun's light was blocked by a disk in the images, allowing fainter details of the solar corona to be seen. The head of the comet became so luminous during its perihelion on 13 January that LASCO's sensors were briefly overwhelmed, creating horizontal streaks known as “bleeding” in the imagery.

Scientific Significance

Karl Battams, the principal investigator of LASCO at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, stated in a press release that the comet's tail demonstrated noticeable responses to fluctuations in the solar wind. These reactions are being studied to understand the Sun's influence on nearby objects. LASCO, which has contributed to the discovery of over 5,000 comets since its launch, continues to play a vital role in solar and heliospheric studies.

Visibility and Current Status

Reports from an official press release of NASA indicate that comet ATLAS was briefly visible in the Northern Hemisphere after sunset during its closest approach. However, the comet is now receding and is best observed from the Southern Hemisphere. Astronomers have suggested that the comet may have fragmented after its solar encounter, raising the possibility of a rapid dimming in the coming days.

The SOHO mission is a collaborative project managed by NASA and ESA, with mission operations led by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.