Trending Now - Hubble Telescope Uncovers New Discoveries in Comet and Nebula Studies
WHO:
John Noonan, research physicist at Auburn University, coauthor of the study
Dennis Bodewits, principal investigator and physics professor at Auburn University
WHAT:
The Hubble Space Telescope observed comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaking apart into four distinct fragments, each with its own coma.
John Noonan described the chance of observing the comet breaking apart as “the slimmest of slim chances.”
Dennis Bodewits stated, “They’ve been heated; they’ve been irradiated by the sun and by cosmic rays,” regarding the challenges in analyzing the comet's composition.
Noonan emphasized that the observations were made just days after the comet began to fragment, providing a unique opportunity to study its surface physics.
The study detailing the discovery of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) was published in the journal Icarus.
John Noonan stated, “Sometimes the best science happens by accident,” regarding the unexpected observations of the comet breaking apart.
Dennis Bodewits noted that the samples from the comet are usually not “pristine” due to heating and irradiation, complicating the analysis of their composition.
Noonan emphasized that “Never before has Hubble caught a fragmenting comet this close to when it actually fell apart,” highlighting the significance of the timing of the observations.
Hubble Space Telescope observed comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaking apart
The comet splintered into four distinct fragments, each with its own coma
Observations were taken between November 8 and November 20, 2025
The comet completed its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on October 8, 2025
WHERE:
Auburn University, Alabama
The comet is currently approximately 250 million miles from Earth
WHEN:
Observations occurred from November 8 to November 20, 2025
Perihelion occurred on October 8, 2025
WHY:
The observations were made after the original plans to observe a different comet fell through
The fragmentation of the comet provided a unique opportunity to study its composition
HOW:
Scientists are analyzing the gas readings from the comet's fragments to infer its composition, which may provide insights into the material that formed the solar system.
The observations of the comet were made just days after it began to fragment, providing a unique opportunity to study its surface physics.
Hubble Space Telescope was used to observe the comet in real time as it began to disintegrate
Scientists are analyzing the gas readings from the comet's fragments to infer its composition
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 15:36 UTC)
Today, the Hubble Space Telescope made a remarkable observation of comet C/2025 K1, which has broken apart into four distinct fragments, each with its own coma. John Noonan noted that the chance of witnessing this event was incredibly slim, and he highlighted that these observations came just days after the comet began to fragment, offering a unique opportunity to study its surface physics. Scientists are now analyzing the gas readings from the fragments to gain insights into the composition of the comet, which may shed light on the materials that formed our solar system.
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(UPDATED March 23, 2026 03:59 UTC)
A new study published in the journal Icarus has revealed the discovery of comet C/2025 K1, with John Noonan commenting that “sometimes the best science happens by accident” due to the unexpected observations of the comet breaking apart. Dennis Bodewits added that the samples from the comet are typically not “pristine” because of heating and irradiation, which makes analyzing their composition more challenging. Notably, Noonan highlighted that “never before has Hubble caught a fragmenting comet this close to when it actually fell apart,” emphasizing the unique timing of these observations just days after the comet began to fragment.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 23:22 UTC)
In a significant astronomical event, the Hubble Space Telescope has observed comet C/2025 K1, also known as ATLAS, breaking apart into four distinct fragments, each featuring its own coma. This observation, conducted by researchers at Auburn University between November 8 and November 20, 2025, followed the comet's closest approach to the Sun on October 8, 2025, and is providing scientists with a unique opportunity to study its composition. John Noonan and Dennis Bodewits, both affiliated with Auburn, are now analyzing the gas readings from the comet's fragments to gain insights into its makeup.