Comet 3I/ATLAS Appears to Have Disintegrated During recent Solar Passage
November 2025 – Comet 3I/ATLAS, a highly anticipated visitor expected to become a breathtaking naked-eye object, appears to have fragmented and is highly likely disintegrating as it passed close to the Sun this week, according to observations led by Avi Loeb, head of the Galileo Project and a Harvard University astrophysicist. Initial reports indicated a significant brightening of the comet,but subsequent images reveal a dramatic shift – the comet’s structure has broken apart,suggesting a catastrophic event.
This disintegration is notably noteworthy because 3I/ATLAS was predicted to be one of the brightest comets of the decade, potentially offering a rare and stunning celestial display. Its breakup provides a valuable, albeit disappointing, chance for scientists to study the composition and behavior of comets under extreme solar conditions. The event underscores the unpredictable nature of cometary orbits and the powerful forces exerted by the Sun on these icy bodies.
Loeb, also founding director of Harvard University’s Black Hole Initiative, has been closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS. He previously authored the bestselling book Extraterrestrial: The first sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth (2021) and Interstellar (2024), and co-authored the textbook Life in the Cosmos (2021).
The comet’s demise was first observed through changes in its brightness and structure,captured by telescopes around the world. images show a diffuse cloud of debris where a cohesive nucleus once existed.While smaller fragments may persist for a time, the main body of 3I/ATLAS is unlikely to survive its current trajectory. Scientists will continue to analyze the remaining debris field to glean insights into the comet’s internal structure and the mechanisms that led to its fragmentation.
(Image Credit: Chris Michel, National Academy of Sciences, 2023)
