Explanation: Why does Comet ATLAS have such colorful tails? Last week Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) passed its closest to the Sun -- well inside the orbit of Mercury -- and brightened dramatically. Unfortunately, the comet was then so angularly near the Sun that it was very hard for humans to see. But NASA's SOHO spacecraft saw it. Pictured is a SOHO (LASCO C3) image of Comet ATLAS that is a composite of several different color filters. Of the several tails visible, the central white tails are likely made of dust and just reflecting back sunlight. The red, blue, and green tails are likely ion tails with their colors dominated by light emitted by specific gases that were ejected from the comet and energized by the Sun. Currently, Comet ATLAS is showing long tails in southern skies but fading as it moves out of the inner Solar System.

Growing Gallery: Comet ATLAS (G3)

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Publikacii s klyuchevymi slovami: comet - komety Publikacii so slovami: comet - komety
Sm. takzhe: Kometa ATLAS pered rassvetom Vysokii utes na komete Churyumova-Gerasimenko Meteor i kometa Neobychnye hvosty komety Czyczin'shan'-ATLAS Kometa Czyczin'shan'-ATLAS nad Dolomitovymi Al'pami Kometa Czyczin'shan'-ATLAS nad Kaliforniei Kometa Czyczin'shan'-ATLAS uletaet Vse publikacii na tu zhe temu >>