Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), a bright comet that passed close to the Sun in January 2025, has revealed key insights about space weather. Captured by the SOHO spacecraft, images show how solar winds affect comets and their tails.
The comet reached its closest point to the Sun on January 13, coming within 8 million miles of the Sun. Scientists studied this passage using data from the LASCO instrument, which allows them to observe the fainter structures in the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
LASCO has contributed to the discovery of over 5,000 comets as they pass near the Sun. When bright comets like ATLAS pass close to the Sun, their tails react to fluctuations in the solar wind. By studying this reaction, scientists can better understand the Sun’s effects on its neighborhood and on comets passing by.
The comet is now receding from view, but it may have broken apart after its passage. It was briefly visible in Northern Hemisphere skies just after sunset near perihelion, but it is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/nasa-just-captured-stunning-images-of-a-comets-fiery-tail