(Pennsylvania) A recently discovered comet broke into pieces right before Halloween. Astronomers have been tracking the so-called Halloween comet, also known as C/2024 S1, since it was discovered in September by a telescope in Hawaii. 

NASA confirmed on Tuesday its sun-observing spacecraft captured the moment when the comet Atlas broke into chunks this week as it passed close to the sun. 

As it raced toward the sun, a space observatory operated by NASA and the European Space Agency spied its demise. 

The comet is thought to be part of a family of comets that pass incredibly close to the sun. 

Source for Photo: This image provided by NASA shows Comet Atlas, nicknamed the “Halloween comet”, approaching its closest to the sun, October 2024, as seen in this real-time image from NASA’s orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. (NASA via AP)