Sungrazing Comets
Comets that pass extremely close to the Sun at perihelion, often within a few solar radii.
Overview
Comets whose orbits carry them through the Sun's outer atmosphere; most disintegrate, though a few survive. Many belong to the Kreutz family and are discovered by solar observatories.
Members
2 modelled members.
- Ikeya–SekiC/1965
One of the brightest comets of the past thousand years — a Kreutz sungrazer that became visible in daylight near the Sun in October 1965.
TypeKreutz sungrazerDiscovered1965Great cometYes - LovejoyC/2011
A Kreutz sungrazing comet that unexpectedly survived a passage through the Sun's corona in December 2011, emerging to display a bright tail.
TypeKreutz sungrazerDiscovered2011
Knowledge connections
- Group includesLovejoy
- Group includesIkeya–Seki
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
- NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.