Comets

A Spiral Structure in the Inner Oort CloudA Spiral Structure in the Inner Oort Cloud

A Spiral Structure in the Inner Oort Cloud

We typically think of the Oort cloud as scattered ice balls floating far from the Sun, yet still tied to…

2 days ago
There’s More Than Just Gravity at Work in the Solar SystemThere’s More Than Just Gravity at Work in the Solar System

There’s More Than Just Gravity at Work in the Solar System

Ever since Isaac Newton famously talked about gravity, its dominance as a force in our Solar System has been well…

4 weeks ago

Will Comet G3 ATLAS Perform at Perihelion?

Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS may put on a quick show this month. Comet G3 ATLAS on December 30th. Credit: Alan…

2 months ago
NASA Scientists Discover “Dark Comets” Come in Two Populations.NASA Scientists Discover “Dark Comets” Come in Two Populations.

NASA Scientists Discover “Dark Comets” Come in Two Populations.

On October 19th, 2017, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System-1 (Pan-STARRS-1) in Hawaii announced the first-ever detection of…

2 months ago
Vera Rubin Will Find Many More Interstellar ObjectsVera Rubin Will Find Many More Interstellar Objects

Vera Rubin Will Find Many More Interstellar Objects

Astronomers have discovered two interstellar objects, Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. When the Vera C Rubin Observatory comes online next year, it'll…

2 years ago
Here's How NASA is Planning to Protect Earth From Asteroids and CometsHere's How NASA is Planning to Protect Earth From Asteroids and Comets

Here's How NASA is Planning to Protect Earth From Asteroids and Comets

The large impact craters dotting our planet are powerful reminders that asteroids and comets strike the Earth from time to…

2 years ago
Water’s Epic Journey to Earth Began Before the Sun FormedWater’s Epic Journey to Earth Began Before the Sun Formed

Water’s Epic Journey to Earth Began Before the Sun Formed

The origins of Earth's water is a complicated mystery that scientists have been untangling for decades. Life is impossible without…

2 years ago
We Could Spread Life to the Milky Way With Comets. But Should We?We Could Spread Life to the Milky Way With Comets. But Should We?

We Could Spread Life to the Milky Way With Comets. But Should We?

Here's a thorny problem: What if life doesn't always appear on planets that can support it? What if we find…

2 years ago
Astronomers Watched a “Near-Sun” Comet Disintegrate as it Flew too Close to the SunAstronomers Watched a “Near-Sun” Comet Disintegrate as it Flew too Close to the Sun

Astronomers Watched a “Near-Sun” Comet Disintegrate as it Flew too Close to the Sun

Comets that venture close to the Sun can transform into something beautiful, but sometimes they encounter incineration if they get…

3 years ago
ESA Gives Green Light on its Comet Interceptor MissionESA Gives Green Light on its Comet Interceptor Mission

ESA Gives Green Light on its Comet Interceptor Mission

Comets, with their long, beautiful, bright tails of ice, are some of the most spectacular sightings in the night sky.…

3 years ago