C/2019 Q4 (ATLAS) is an unusual comet discovered in December 2019. It is also commonly referred to as 3I/ATLAS. What makes it special is that it appeared to be increasing in brightness very quickly at the time of its discovery. This phenomenon was very different from other comets.
On December 28, 2019, the comet was first identified by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey project. Scientists believe that its orbit may be part of a large comet that passed close to Earth about 5,000 years ago.
At the time of its discovery, scientists expected that it would become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye from Earth. But in April 2020, it dimmed and then broke up into several pieces. This was a great disappointment for scientists.
Observing the breakup of Comet 3I/ATLAS has given scientists a golden opportunity to learn more about the structure and evolution of comets. It has helped to gather more information about how the center of a comet breaks up when it is weakened by solar heat.
The comet also shares an orbit similar to that of Comet Hale-Bopp. This suggests that 3I/ATLAS may have originated from the same epicenter as Comet Hale-Bopp.
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