Hubble observation of Comet ATLAS on 23 April 2020

A view of Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope on 23 April 2020.

The comet was first discovered in December 2019 by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) collaboration, and its fragmentation was confirmed in April 2020. Hubble has provided astronomers with the sharpest view yet of the comet breakup, resolving roughly 25 fragments of the comet in this image.

In May 2020, studies indicated that ESA’s Solar Orbiter would serendipitously cross through the tails of Comet ATLAS on 31 May–1 June (ion tail) and 6 June (dust tail).

Full story: Solar Orbiter to pass through the tails of Comet ATLAS