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Breakup of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Confirmed Ahead of Nov. 25 Earth Flyby

High-resolution imagery from the Virtual Telescope Project reveals multiple sub‑nuclei, creating a timely chance to study a carbon‑depleted Oort‑Cloud visitor.

Overview

  • Images captured Nov. 12–13 show discrete condensations and a faint dust plume inside the inner coma, with a 24‑hour sequence confirming diverging fragments.
  • The remnants are tracking toward a safe closest approach on Nov. 25 at roughly 0.403 AU from Earth.
  • Earlier spectroscopy reported strong depletion of carbon‑bearing species such as C2 and CN, identifying the comet as carbon‑chain‑depleted.
  • The comet brightened around its Oct. 8 perihelion and shifted from a typical green glow to a golden hue before the disruption, with the cause still undetermined.
  • Observers place the fragments in Leo at about magnitude 9.9, visible through mid‑range telescopes or strong binoculars.