NEW YORK – Recently, a comet emitting a vibrant green hue captured the interest of astronomers and was closely monitored as it traveled near the sun. The celestial body, possibly originating from the Oort Cloud situated beyond Pluto, was observable through telescopes and binoculars, distinguished by its luminous tail. However, it appears the comet did not survive its close brush with the sun and is rapidly disintegrating.
Astrophysicist Karl Battams from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory conveyed that shortly, all that might remain is a heap of dusty debris. Comets form from frozen gases mixed with dust, remnants dating back billions of years. Occasionally, these objects journey through the inner parts of the solar system.
Jason Ybarra, who leads the West Virginia University Planetarium and Observatory, asserted that such comets serve as historical artifacts from the infancy of the solar system. This latest discovery was made by amateur astronomers who identified it in images captured by a spacecraft jointly managed by NASA and the European Space Agency for solar observation.
Unlike last year’s Tsuchinshan-Atlas, this newer comet did not swing close to Earth. Other significant comets, such as Neowise in 2020 and Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake during the 1990s, have also made memorable passages. Officially labeled C/2025 F2, the comet could have been spotted just after dusk, positioned slightly north of the sunset’s location, though its green shade might have been difficult to discern with the unaided eye.
This occurrence might have been the comet’s inaugural venture past the sun, leaving it particularly susceptible to fragmentation. As Battams noted, after its close solar encounter, any remaining fragments will venture into the farthest reaches of the solar system, departing from its apparent point of origin.
The fate of the comet remains uncertain as it travels into the distant expanse beyond our capabilities to track its future return.