Kreutz Sungrazers
A family of sungrazing comets on very similar orbits, thought to be the fragments of a single giant comet that broke apart many centuries ago. They include some of the brightest comets in history and are discovered in large numbers by solar spacecraft.
Overview
A family of sungrazing comets on very similar orbits, thought to be the fragments of a single giant comet that broke apart many centuries ago. They include some of the brightest comets in history and are discovered in large numbers by solar spacecraft.
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
- Family includesLovejoy
- Family 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.