Fact Sheet
Poof!
A fragment of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 disintegrates under the watchful eye of Hubble Space Telescope in this April 20 image. The comet split into four large chunks in 1995. As these big fragments moved closer to the Sun this year, they, too, have begun to split apart. As they release new clouds of gas and dust into space, the comet fragments can flare brightly. [Credit: NASA/ESA/H.Weaver (APL/JHU)/M.Mutchler/Z.Levay (STScI)]
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