Weather & Radar
Home / Weather News /

A rare sight during the solar eclipse

10:00 PM
April 12, 2024

Before disintegration...
A rare sight during the solar eclipse

SOHO - 5000, the comet that disintegrated during the eclipse.SOHO - 5000, the comet that disintegrated during the eclipse. - © Lin Zixuan

It’s hard to believe the biggest celestial event of the year, the total solar eclipse, was just a few days ago, but there was another event that took place while the moon crossed in front of the sun. A comet disintegrated as it passed the sun.

This happens every day, but this specific comet was photographed just before its disintegration during the total solar eclipse!

Recommended external content from YouTube

We need your consent to show content from YouTube. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

I agree that content from YouTube will be displayed to me.

Settings for external content

Privacy policy

These comets disintegrating are not often observed from the ground, according to Astronomer Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab, but millions happened to be watching the skies during the eclipse and amateur astronomer, Lin Zixuan, was viewing it from New Hampshire.

The so called “sungrazer comets” appear to be from the Kreuts family – which are smaller comets from a larger one that broke up around 2,000 years ago.

Satellite captures 5,000th cometread more

The comet – named SOHO 5008 – ended up disintegrating right after Lin snapped the photo.

Becca Parker
More on the topic
Man sits with telescope looking up at the Milky Way.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025

April astronomy outlook

A micromoon & the oldest known meteors
Saturday, March 29, 2025

As Spring continues

UV forecasts in the app
Saturday, April 19, 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Sunrise views and misty mornings
All weather news
This might also interest you
Louisville, Miss., received several inches of flooding rains on Thursday.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Prepare now

What to do in a flood
Monday, May 12, 2025

Have you seen them?

Heavy rain alerts active
Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Breakfast Brief

Record heat in Texas
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info