一個不好的消息: C/2026 A1 (MAPS)彗星的彗核可能只有約400公尺大小，或許與C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy)彗星的彗核大小相仿。由張啟成領導的天文學家團隊利用詹姆斯韋伯太空望遠鏡(JWST)觀測了MAPS彗星，並得出結論：其彗核很小，只有約400公尺大小。 MAPS彗星的固有亮度遠高於Lovejoy彗星，顯示其氣體噴發更為劇烈，這可能導致該彗星在到達近日點之前就自行解體。一切都充滿了變數。
資料來源:X ( Jure Atanackov )
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https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ae5220?fbclid=IwY2xjawQnTcVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFWMHpSeUVCZ0ltUFNFUXNvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlsbY_HMCG2GaqVHBFdfp-XKTcTH-W9LXGIpp9uGgC5HubClEI4YTKWNtwSe_aem_yXpmwGfLtAhs6MnkhLWsdgIOP Science home
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Preliminary Nucleus Size Estimate for Kreutz Sungrazer C/2026 A1 (MAPS)
Qicheng Zhang, Matthew M. Knight, Quanzhi Ye (叶泉志), Carl A. Schmidt, and Karl Battams
Published March 2026 • © 2026. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.
Research Notes of the AAS, Volume 10, Number 3Citation Qicheng Zhang et al 2026 Res. Notes AAS 10 57DOI 10.3847/2515-5172/ae5220
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Abstract
JWST imagery of the approaching Kreutz sungrazer C/2026 A1 (MAPS) appears sufficient to distinguish the comet’s nucleus from the surrounding dust. Coma model fitting indicates the morphology is compatible with a ∼0.4 km diameter nucleus—likely larger than those of the minor Kreutz fragments routinely discovered with coronagraphs, and comparable to or slightly smaller than that of C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy). However, since C/2026 A1 is the only Kreutz sungrazer whose nucleus has been directly observed, these comparisons should be treated with caution.
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