NASA has documented the remarkable event of comet C/2024 S1, known as the "Great Halloween Comet," being entirely consumed by the sun.
The comet, which was first discovered by astronomers in September, was on a fast path towards the sun and made its final approach on Oct. 24, vanishing without a trace.
NASA's SOHO Sees 'Great Halloween Comet' Meet Fiery End as Sungrazer
The comet was named the "Great Halloween Comet" as it was expected to make its brightest appearance around Halloween.On its journey, the comet passed within 750,000 miles of the sun's blazing surface.
This "sungrazer" comet, one of a special group of comets known for their close encounters with the sun, did not survive its fiery path and was completely vaporized by the intense solar heat. NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a spacecraft designed to study the sun, managed to capture the comet's final moments before it was consumed.
Lead researcher Karl Battams, who heads NASA's Sungrazer Project, explained that C/2024 S1 was already breaking apart before it reached the sun, likely due to its fragile structure of ice and rock.
Unlike many comets that maintain their form while passing through the solar system, C/2024 S1 was drawn extremely close to the sun, ultimately sealing its fate.
Two Comets Share the Spotlight in Our Solar System
The "Halloween Comet" is part of the Kreutz sungrazer family, named after astronomer Heinrich Kreutz, who first studied comets that orbit close to the sun in the late 19th century.
These comets are believed to be fragments of a larger comet that broke apart hundreds of years ago, and they often follow similar paths, the Daily Mail said.
While C/2024 S1 made its close approach to the sun, another comet, C/2023 A3 (or Tsuchinshan-Atlas), was also spotted nearby in our solar system this month.
This comet, discovered at China's Purple Mountain Observatory, is thought to originate from the Oort Cloud, a distant, icy region surrounding the solar system that contains remnants from its formation.
As comets approach the sun, they heat up, releasing dust and gases trapped within their icy cores. This causes a glow and creates the comet's "tail," which can appear like a bright fireball in the night sky.
