Entertainment
Watch The Sun Annihilate A Comet That Dared Get To Close
By Brian Myers
| Published
A recently discovered comet that scientists and amateur astronomers hoped would be visible on Halloween was in an orbit a little too close to the sun. As the rocky form barreled through the solar system, the watchful eyes of European Space Agency and NASA astronomers and physicists were glued to its trajectory with the help of a telescope. The comet’s last moments were caught on film as it exploded into tiny fragments after getting obliterated by the sun’s intensity.
A Doomed Comet
Both space agencies had been tracking Comet C/2024 S1 (nicknamed ATLAS) for weeks and were hopeful that it would survive its perihelion, the part of its orbit that is closest to the sun. The comet was predicted initially to be streaking across the night skies over the Halloween holiday and remain visible for several nights. But as the footage captured by NASA and the European Space Agency’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory would show, the close approach reduced the comet to specs of dust.
Scientists knew days before the comet’s obliteration that it was doomed. Karl Battams, who serves as the principal investigator for the LASCO instrument suite on the observatory noted that it “was likely already a rubble pile by the time it entered (the telescope’s) field of view.” A disappointment to stargazers for sure, who were hoping for a rare glimpse at a comet shooting so close to the Earth.
Discovered Weeks Ago
The comet was first discovered on September 27 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, a Hawaii-based program that tracks objects that could be on a collision course with the Earth. After studying it, it was predicted that a “spectacular show in the night skies” would result over Halloween weekend. As it turned out, not even the long, glowing tail ever became visible to watchers.
There have been cases of other comets dancing a little too close to the sun but wound up surviving the close orbit. Comet C/2023 A3, a shooting rock of ice from the Oort Cloud, was observed for the first time in January 2023 by researchers at China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory. This comet survived its perihelion and was so close to the Earth that it could be seen with the naked eye.
Kreutz Sungrazers
The ATLAS comet is classified into a group that astronomers call Kreutz sungrazers. These comets have an orbit that is extremely close to the stars that they orbit, leading often to their almost inevitable destruction. This class was named after famed astronomer Heinrich Kreutz, the first scientist to notice this characteristic.
It’s believed that the ATLAS comet and the rest of those in the Kreutz sungrazers class were all from a bigger comet that came apart years before. Aside from their apparent suicide mission with the sun, these comets are also smaller than most of the others observed by astronomers.
Adding to the disappointment of the ATLAS comet’s disintegration is the fact that it would have been a bright sight to behold to the naked eye. Astronomers estimated that its brightness magnitude would have been rated a -7, brighter than the planet Venus, whose rating is a -4.6.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
