New research suggests that dark comets, which make up up to 60% of near-Earth objects, may originate in the asteroid belt and may carry subsurface ice that may have contributed to Earth’s water. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Research from the University of Michigan shows that as many as 60% of objects near Earth are dark comets. These … Read more
Despite all the fuss about the total solar eclipse last April, the event didn’t inspire much conspiracy thinking. The same can’t be said for the comet that flies over Ruby Todd’s debut novel, “Bright Objects.” Todd’s comet, named St. John, is a fictionalized version of Comet Hale-Bopp, which visited our solar system in 1997 and … Read more
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as imaged on June 1, 2024 by Gianluca Masi of The Virtual Telescope … [+] Project. Gianluca Masi at the virtual telescope project While there are no guarantees, a comet is expected to brighten significantly over the coming months and, with luck, could be a bright naked-eye comet in September and October. … Read more
The explosive green “devil comet” that recently roared close to Earth appeared to grow an impossible second tail as it passed us, new photos reveal. But this extra limb, known as an anti-tail, is actually an extremely rare optical illusion caused by the comet’s proximity to our planet. 12P/Pons-Brooks (12P) is a 17-kilometer-wide comet with … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. CNN — An unusual horned comet notable for a series of outbursts, nicknamed the “devil’s comet,” will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday around 3 a.m. ET. Although the comet has not been … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. CNN — An unusual horned comet notable for a series of outbursts, nicknamed the “devil’s comet,” will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday around 3 a.m. ET. Although the comet has not been … Read more
Mars’ moon Phobos could be a comet — or at least part of it — that was captured by the Red Planet’s gravity long ago, according to a new preprint study based on previously unpublished images. For years, researchers have puzzled over the origins of Phobos and its twin brother, Deimos. Some have theorized that … Read more
In a year where we’ve already been treated to the ‘Great North American Solar Eclipse’ in April and one of the greatest displays of the Northern Lights in the last 500 years in May, what other amazing celestial attractions could 2024 have in store for us? ? How about a bright comet with the naked … Read more
On Saturday, revelers across Spain and Portugal ventured out into the temperate spring evening, hoping for an evening to remember. No one expected a visitor from space to explode over their heads. At 11:46 p.m., a fireball shot through the sky in Portugal, leaving a smoldering trail of glowing graffiti. Images shared on social media … Read more