Comet ATLAS is heading towards the inner solar system and will soon become the brightest comet ever seen
Comet, which is also known as C / 2019 Y4,Discovered by astronomers Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in December 2019. At that moment, it was difficult to detect - she was very dull. But at the same time, only a month later its brightness increased by 4 thousand times. This is much faster than scientists assumed, the celestial body can be seen from the Earth with the help of simple telescopes in May.
Interstellar comet 2I/Borisov begins to collapse
Researchers explained that as we get closercomets to the Sun, it will repel the part of the ice that makes up the core of the object. If the comet keeps its shape while continuing to heat up, ATLAS will become the most visible object in the night sky, along with the Moon. The comet, which is now near the orbit of Mars, follows the path of one of the great comets in history - the Great Comet of 1844. She was visible to the naked eye for 290 days.
The comet must make the closest approach to EarthMay 23, and the closest approach to the Sun is May 31. From May 1, the comet can become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye if it does not collapse before that.