Crumbling Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) | Gemini North Telescope

Crumbling Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) | Gemini North Telescope

On November 11 and December 6, 2025, the Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) soared in the skies above Maunakea, Hawai‘i, and Gemini North captured images of it. Gemini North is one half of the International Gemini Observatory, supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab.

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)’s nucleus started breaking apart as early as October 2025. Three of the suspected fragments are clearly visible in the December 6, 2025, image. Each piece makes an exciting show as it fluctuates in brightness, density, and position from night to night. 

C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) originated in the Oort cloud and surprisingly survived its closest approach to the Sun in October 2025. However, now that it has experienced the intense heat and gravity of the Sun, it is struggling to hold together, leading to the crumbling that we are witnessing now.

View the trajectory of C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) here: https://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025K1

Learn about the Gemini North Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-north/

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Bolin
Image Processing: J. Miller & M. Rodriguez (International Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab), T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)
Acknowledgments: PI: Bryce Bolin (Eureka Scientific)
Release Date: Jan. 28, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025K1ATLAS #Coma #CometaryTails #OortCloud #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #STEM #Education