A bright comet, C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), recently made headlines as it soared close to the sun on January 13, 2025. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) and NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft captured stunning images of the comet’s tail during its closest approach.
The comet’s perihelion pass brought it just 8 million miles from our star, offering rare insights into the sun’s effects on comets. LASCO, a coronagraph instrument on SOHO, helped discover over 5,000 other comets by revealing faint details in the solar atmosphere.
Leading researcher Karl Battams analyzed images to highlight fine details in the comet’s tail and study its reaction to solar wind fluctuations. Heliophysicists can use this data to better understand the sun’s impact on comets and its surroundings.
Although initially visible in Northern Hemisphere skies, Comet ATLAS is now best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere as it recedes from the sun. However, astronomers warn that the comet might have broken up after its close pass, potentially causing it to fade rapidly in the coming days.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-01-bright-comet-tail-dazzles-images.html