Comet G3 may be disintegrating

As reported on EarthSky, new reports suggest that bright comet ATLAS G3 – which has been wowing observers this past week (at least in the southern hemisphere and the lower US) – may be disintegrating.

Comets are known to undergo an “outburst,” or rapid increase in brightness, before starting to disintegrate. And observers reported on the evening of January 19 that Comet ATLAS had suddenly become much brighter. 

The images below show the nucleus dimming and loosing definition.

Astrophotographer Lionel Majzik captured these images of comet ATLAS G3 from Rio Hurtado, Chile, between January 18 and 20. 

For the complete story see EarthSky.