Comet ATLAS over Brasilia

Comet ATLAS over Brasília

Image Credit:
Frederico Danin

Explanation:
What’s that in the sky?

Above the city, above most clouds, far in the distance: it’s a comet.

Pictured,
the impressive tail of Comet
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)
was imaged from
Brasília,
Brazil four days ago.

Last week the evolving
comet rounded the Sun
well inside the orbit of planet Mercury,
going so close there was early concern that it might
break up — and
recent evidence that it really did.

At one point near perihelion,
Comet ATLAS was so bright
that sightings were even reported
during the day — over the bright sky near the
Sun — by
careful observers.

Over the past few days,
Comet ATLAS
has developed a
long tail that has been partly
visible with unaided eyes after sunset,
most notably in
Earth’s southern hemisphere.