Halloween Comet C/2024 S1 Disintegrates

Comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS), known as the 'Halloween comet', disintegrated after nearing the sun on October 28, 2024. Discovered in September by a telescope in Hawaii, it belonged to the Kreutz sungrazer family, famous for close solar approaches and frequent disintegration. Despite hopes for it to be visible near Halloween, solar heat caused the comet to break apart and vaporize. NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory captured its final moments as it passed within just 1% of Earth's distance from the sun. The comet's demise was expected due to its unstable nucleus and the history of similar comets. This highlights the unpredictable nature of sungrazing comets, which can offer spectacular yet short-lived appearances.