Surprise! Comet ATLAS changes color after passing near Sun

Technology Nov 07, 2025

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), spotted earlier this year, just pulled off a cosmic surprise.
Astronomers believed it would break apart as it zipped within 31 million kilometers of the Sun on October 8, but instead, it made it through—shedding some mass and even changing color from green to a rare golden shade.

How to spot the comet

This comet comes all the way from the distant Oort Cloud that surrounds our solar system.
You won't see it with just your eyes, but if you've got binoculars or a small telescope, look for it at brightness magnitude 9.
Mark your calendar for November 25, when ATLAS will be closest to Earth and hanging out near the Virgo and Leo constellations—prime time for comet-spotting!