VIDEO: Massive Comet Shatters into Four Pieces Due to Sun's Heat, NASA's Hubble Telescope Witnesses Live Destruction for First Time
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Giant Comet Shatters Near Sun: NASA's Hubble Telescope Witnesses Live Destruction
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News18•19-03-2026, 17:59
Giant Comet Shatters Near Sun: NASA's Hubble Telescope Witnesses Live Destruction
•Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) unexpectedly broke into four pieces due to the Sun's heat, captured live by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
•Scientists describe witnessing the comet's disintegration as a rare coincidence, initially targeting another comet before a technical change led Hubble to K1.
•The breakup revealed ancient ice and dust, offering insights into the solar system's formation, as comets are considered 'leftover material' from billions of years ago.
•The 5-mile-wide comet shattered during its perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun, experiencing intense heat and pressure.
•Chemical analysis shows Comet K1 has an unusually low carbon content, making its composition distinct and providing a treasure trove of data for planetary formation studies.
