Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has stunned astronomers after dramatically splitting into multiple luminous fragments, creating one of the most remarkable sky events of the year.
The breakup, captured throughout November 2025 by observatories in Europe and the United States, provides an exceptionally rare glimpse of a comet disintegrating as it journeys through the inner solar system.
For scientists, the event is more than a visual spectacle — it’s a rare scientific opportunity to watch a potentially pristine comet crumble under solar forces.
Observatory Footage Confirms Multiple Fragments
C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), first discovered in May 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, began brightening rapidly as it approached perihelion on 8 October. But the close brush with the Sun appears to have destabilised its nucleus.
On 11 November, Italian astronomers at the Asiago Observatory captured real-time images of the comet breaking apart using a 1.82-metre Copernicus telescope.
Images from the Virtual Telescope Project, captured by astronomer Gianluca Masi, show the comet’s nucleus splintering into three distinct fragments between 11 and 18 November. The primary, brightest fragment remains dominant, while a second piece of comparable size drifts away, and a third, smaller fragment may also be present.
Masi even suggests a possible fourth piece could be emerging, based on later observations.
Dr Elena Mazzotta Epifani of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics confirmed that the two brightest fragments are drifting roughly 2,000 km apart, with at least one smaller, dimmer piece nearby.
Why Comet Fragmentation Is A Scientific Goldmine
A comet breaking apart is scientifically invaluable. C/2025 K1 is believed to be a pristine object, possibly making its first journey toward the Sun from the outer solar system. Such comets are rich in primordial material — the same ingredients that formed planets billions of years ago.
When a comet fractures, astronomers can study its internal structure, the strength of its nucleus and how it reacts to thermal stress and gravitational forces. As Dr Mazzotta Epifani explains, the fragmentation offers ‘highly significant’ clues about how these ancient bodies evolve and how they ultimately disintegrate.
Such objects act like time capsules, preserving the primordial materials from the early solar system. Studying their fragmentation helps astronomers understand their internal structure, how they respond to heat and gravitational stress, and what might eventually happen to them as they break apart.
The Mystery Of ATLAS’s Golden Glow
One of the most striking features of Comet ATLAS has been its warm golden hue. Most comets glow green or blue due to carbon-based molecules in their coma. ATLAS, however, became increasingly golden as it neared the Sun.
Scientists believe this colour shift may indicate a lack of diatomic carbon — a signature molecule present in many comets — suggesting chemical differences in the comet’s makeup. The change may also reflect the release of dust and gas as the fragments continue to break apart.
The golden glow may also hint at how the comet is physically evolving as it loses mass.
How To Spot ATLAS In The Night Sky
Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere can still catch glimpses of the fragments in the constellation Ursa Major. However, its brightness will likely continue to change as the fragments separate and dissolve, making the spectacle fleeting.
A modest amateur telescope should be enough, though the brightness continues to fluctuate as the fragments drift and dissipate.
Observers have begun stacking multiple nights of images to track the debris field, creating vivid animations showing the pieces slowly separating against the backdrop of deep space.
A Cosmic Lesson In Fragility
The breakup of Comet ATLAS is a reminder of how fragile cometary bodies truly are. These icy travellers endure extreme heating and gravitational forces as they orbit the Sun, and many do not survive.
C/2025 K1As the pieces fade or disperse, scientists around the globe will continue to watch, analyse and learn, hoping to decode more about the very origins of our solar system.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
