New images show the comet C/2025 K1 (Atlas) disintegrating in space – NotebookCheck.net News
ⓘ mTPhotography – Pixabay
New images taken by the Gemini North telescope show comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) disintegrating in space. And this event could happen again in the near future, allowing astronomers to better understand these celestial objects.
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) is a non-periodic comet that was discovered in May 2025 by the ATLAS system. Originating from the Oort cloud, it passed close to the Sun on October 8, 2025, and did not survive, as it disintegrated into four fragments.
Composed of ice and dust, this comet faced extreme conditions. As it passed close to our star, it was subjected to strong gravity and extremely powerful solar winds. But its tragic fate allowed astronomers to observe its fragmentation into several pieces.
Indeed, on November 11, 2025, astronomers at the Asiago Observatory in Italy observed this comet and saw two fragments. Subsequently, astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy saw three fragments and possibly a fourth, as he stated in a press release.
But on January 28, 2026, new images of this event were unveiled. Captured on November 11 and December 6 by the Gemini North telescope in Chile, they highlight the four pieces from this comet, with significant brightness.
However, while this spectacle is impressive, it could happen again in the future. Indeed, comets like C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) are numerous in the Oort cloud, and there may be billions of them. Thus, this could help astronomers to better understand their behavior, but also to learn more about their composition and trajectory in our solar system.
Image source: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Bolin
Alexis Stegmann – Tech Writer – 490 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025
I’ve been working in the field of web writing for several years, and I’m passionate about keeping readers up to date with the latest news on astronomy, technology, the world of video games and other exciting subjects. In particular, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a number of websites, which has enabled me to cover a wide range of subjects. In my personal life, I’m passionate about a wide range of subjects, including astronomy, video games, history and science. I’m also drawn to psychology, which is a subject that deserves greater documentation and recognition.
