Sometimes You Get Lucky, Just Like the Hubble Did When It Caught This Comet Disintegrating

These three sequential images from the Hubble Space Telescope caught Comet K1 as it broke into pieces. This is the first time that the telescope has captured the early stages of a comet breaking apart. K1 had passed perihelion and was on its way out of the Solar System. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, D. Bodewits (Auburn). Image processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)

A team of astronomers were fortunate when their original comet target couldn’t be observed with the Hubble. They quickly pivoted to a different target, and caught Comet K1 in the process of breaking apart. This gave them an excellent opportunity to learn more about the doomed object.

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