(CNN) A newly discovered sungrazer comet was photographed approaching the sun during last week's solar eclipse before it evaporated into dust particles. The comet was first spotted by Thai amateur astronomer Worachate Boonplod in satellite data on December 13, a day before the eclipse, NASA said on Saturday. The comet, named C/2020 X3 (SOHO), is known as a Kreutz sungrazer, NASA said. This family of comets originated from a large parent comet that broke up into smaller fragments well over a thousand years ago. Boonplod knew the eclipse was coming, and was eager to see whether his new comet discovery might appear in the sun's outer atmosphere.

Source: The Nation December 21, 2020 17:04 UTC