NASA and ESA say comet maps likely exploded near Sun
Technology
Comet MAPS (C/2026 A1), which had space fans excited earlier this year, broke apart on April 4 as it got too close to the sun, just 159325km away.
NASA and ESA shared that SOHO caught the moment when the comet's brightening was likely due to its nucleus exploding from the intense heat.
Discovered in January in Chile, MAPS was part of a group called Kreutz sungrazers, known for risking it all near our star.
Comet maps yields clues about sungrazers
MAPS's dramatic end is a reminder of how unpredictable space can be.
Sungrazing comets are fragile but can put on quite a show before they vanish.
While some comets survive their close call with the sun, others like MAPS don't make it, giving scientists new clues about these cosmic daredevils and how they behave in extreme conditions.