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)

#632812
Nick James
Participant

Thanks to all of the observers who have sent in images and measurements of this comet we have almost daily coverage since the initial fragmentation in early November. The comet is now moving away from the Sun and Earth and seems fairly stable with two fragments visible (A & C). Astrometry from BAA observers indicates that fragment A is probably the original nucleus although it is now much fainter than fragment C. These two fragments are currently around 70,000 km apart and their slightly different orbits can be modelled quite well using a relative velocity change at separation of 30 m/s.

The comet is well placed in the evening sky so please keep imaging it in the highest resolution that you can manage.

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