‘Halloween comet’ breaks apart after flying close to the sun

NASA says a recently discovered comet has broken apart as it approached the sun. The space agency said Tuesday its sun-observing spacecraft captured the moment when the comet broke into chunks this week. Astronomers have been tracking the comet since it was discovered in September by a telescope in Hawaii. It’s thought to be part of a family of comets that pass incredibly close to the sun. Comets are cosmic snowballs of dust and ice that circle the sun. Occasionally, comets can make their way into the inner solar system.

A recently discovered comet that some stargazers had hoped to see during Halloween week has disintegrated before the day of ghosts and ghouls.

NASA confirmed Tuesday its sun-observing spacecraft captured the moment when the comet Atlas broke into chunks this week as it passed close to the sun.

Astronomers have been tracking the so-called Halloween comet, also known as C/2024 S1, since it was discovered in September by a telescope in Hawaii.

As it raced toward the sun, a space observatory operated by NASA and the European Space Agency spied its demise.

The comet is thought to be part of a family of comets that pass incredibly close to the sun.

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