Reply To: Fragmentation of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)

Forums Comets Fragmentation of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) Reply To: Fragmentation of comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)

#632626
Nick James
Participant

It is interesting to compare the Gemini image with our recent images here:

https://britastro.org/cometobs/2025k1/thumbnails.html

We have the advantage of a much better time resolution and so can see that the fragments have been changing rapidly over the last week. The Gemini image was taken on Dec 6.37 and it looks similar to the arrangement in this image from Dec 7.05:

https://britastro.org/cometobs/2025k1/2025k1_20251207_011026_ndj.html

Gemini shows fragment A as being double and fragment D as very faint and diffuse. Fragment C is the brightest object. Only two days before (on Dec 4.99) fragment D was brighter than fragment C:

https://britastro.org/cometobs/2025k1/2025k1_20251204_234701_nquinn.html

I’m preparing a report for the February Journal and it has been fascinating tracking the daily variations in this comet over the last month.