Comets

Latest about Comets

Observations of debris generated by the 2007 outburst of comet 17P/Holmes made in February 2015.

Debris from the most spectacular comet outburst ever could thrill skywatchers in August

By Tereza Pultarova published

Dust particles produced by the largest comet outburst ever detected will be visible even to amateur ground-based telescopes this summer, a study found.

Comets
An artist's impression of comets hurtling towards Beta Pictoris.

Largest treasure trove of exocomets to date found in alien solar system

By Keith Cooper published

Thirty alien comets have been spotted transiting the young star Beta Pictoris, their long tails lighting up the skies of the fledgling planets forming there.

Comets
Hale-Bopp comet is regarded as one of the most viewed comets in history.

Comet Hale-Bopp: Facts about the bright and tragic comet

By Elizabeth Howell, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference Hale-Bopp was an unusually bright comet that flew close to Earth in 1997. Tragically, Hale-Bopp also influenced the Heaven's Gate cult's mass suicide.

Reference
Returning comets fade even when they don't approach the sun, a new study found.

Comets fade even as deep in space as Saturn's orbit, scientists find

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

When comets first appear near Earth, their bright tails of ionized gas stun observers, but on every subsequent return, they become dimmer.

Comets
A comet known as C/2021 O3 (Pan-STARRS) may be visible in the night sky in April 2022.

Recently discovered Comet Pan-STARRS could be visible in April's night sky (maybe)

By Joe Rao published

Recently discovered comet Pan-STARRS is heading towards the sun in late April, but will we be able to see it?

Comets
Astrophotographer Chris Schur captured this stunning photo of Comet Leonard on Dec. 4, 2021 from Payson, Arizona using a 10-inch Newtonian telescope and 60-minute camera exposure.

Comet Leonard has broken into pieces as it rounds the sun: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

Comet Leonard, the brightest comet of 2021 has disintegrated, according to EarthSky.

Comets
This image from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) shows dust trapped in the disk surrounding the system Oph-IRS 48.

Astronomers spot tantalizing large molecule near star with 'comet factory'

By Elizabeth Howell published

Astronomers spotted the largest molecule yet found in a planet-forming disk, which they say will tell us more about the origin of life.

Comets
An image taken by the Dark Energy Survey shows Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein in October 2017.

Largest comet ever observed bumps Hale-Bopp from pedestal

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet is officially the largest ever observed, according to new measurements.

Comets
Comet ISON, as photographed by the TRAPPIST national telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory on Nov. 15, 2013.

Comet impact may have triggered decline of Ohio's Hopewell people 1,600 years ago

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

Researchers think that comet fragments may have exploded over Ohio 1,600 years ago, triggering a violent airburst and starting wildfires that devastated the Hopewell people's crops and the landscape.

Comets
A set of superimposed images captured by the Solar Orbiter show Comet Leonard and its two tails in visible light.

European sun probe flew through the tail of Comet Leonard

By Meghan Bartels last updated

As Comet Leonard bid farewell to Earth and flew past Venus, a sun-studying spacecraft flew through the comet's long tail, giving humans a new perspective on the icy wanderer.

Comets
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