Articles tagged with Comets
Researchers found evidence of a comet's fiery destruction at 11 ancient Hopewell archaeological sites across the Ohio River Valley. The study suggests that the event, which occurred around A.D. 252-383, may have contributed to the rapid decline of the Hopewell culture.
A recent study suggests that a chemical compound called magnesium hydrosilicate, stable at high pressures and temperatures, could have stored water deep within the Earth's mantle during its violent early days. This finding has significant implications for understanding the origin of water on Earth and potentially habitable exoplanets.
A new UNSW Sydney-led study has finally confirmed the mechanism behind comet tails never being green. The team recreated the galactic chemical process in a vacuum chamber and used lasers to break apart dicarbon molecules, proving physicist Gerhard Herzberg's theory correct after 90 years.
A new study reveals that the largest comet, Bernardinelli-Bernstein, was active long before previously thought, with its ice vaporizing and forming a coma. This finding will help determine the comet's composition and provide insight into conditions during solar system formation.
A new study reveals how Earth's volatile elements, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon, were formed through a combination of deep Earth processes, oceans' formation, and meteor impacts. The research suggests that these elements played a crucial role in creating the habitable environment necessary for life to emerge.
Researchers created a laboratory to simulate comets in space-like conditions, measuring their properties and evolution. The CoPhyLab chamber allows scientists to compare samples and track gas evaporation and particle loss, providing insights into comet formation and solar system history.
Scientists from the University of Münster used precise isotope measurements to determine that the Moon's heavy bombardment 3.9 billion years ago was caused by continuous impacts of leftover asteroids from the main phase of Earth's formation. The study rules out a sudden increase in impact rate due to outer solar system bodies.
A study published in Geology suggests that ancient glassy rocks in the Atacama Desert, Chile, were created by a cometary fireball explosion around 12,000 years ago. The glasses contain minerals with signatures similar to those found in comet samples, providing evidence of an extraterrestrial origin.
Researchers found asteroid and comet collisions occurred more frequently than thought, potentially delaying oxygen accumulation in the atmosphere. The study suggests that these impacts may have created an 'oxygen sink' that reduced atmospheric oxygen levels.
A new model by a SwRI-led team applies geologic evidence to understand how oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere evolved. The results indicate that large impacts may have contributed to the scarcity of oxygen, delaying its oxidation.
Scientists propose sending a spacecraft to Jupiter to observe centaur objects becoming comets, providing insights into the solar system's dynamics and composition. This unique opportunity could reveal the chemical makeup of comets and shed light on how Earth-like planets form.
Researchers found significant reservoirs of large organic molecules in protoplanetary disks, providing a potential pathway for life to form elsewhere. The presence of these molecules suggests basic chemical conditions that led to life on Earth could exist more widely across the Galaxy.
Astronomers Amir Siraj and Avi Loeb found that interstellar objects outnumber objects in our solar system's Oort Cloud. This discovery suggests that there could be substantially more visitors from other star systems.
Astronomers discovered that comet ATLAS shares the same orbital track as an ancient comet from 1844, suggesting it's a sibling from a parent comet. The comet disintegrated while farther from the Sun than Earth, defying conventional wisdom about comets.
Researchers found that large asteroids from the outer half of the main asteroid belt strike Earth at least 10 times more often than previously calculated
Researchers reconstructed the encounter with ATLAS's tail using combined measurements from Solar Orbiter's instruments. The model indicates that the ambient interplanetary magnetic field 'drapes' around the comet, forming a central tail region with a weaker magnetic field.
A cluster of comet fragments believed to have hit Earth nearly 13,000 years ago may have triggered the transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to agriculture-based settlements in the Fertile Crescent. This impact, known as the Younger Dryas event, also caused widespread extinctions and a mini ice age lasting over 1,000 years.
Researchers at the SETI Institute have detected rare meteor showers caused by 4000-year-old comets. The Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance project uses low-light video security cameras to measure meteors' trajectories and orbits, revealing nine parent bodies of previously unknown meteor showers.
Astronomers have discovered nickel atoms in the cold gas surrounding interstellar comet 2I/Borisov, revealing new information about an alien icy world. The presence of nickel, a heavy element not typically observed in cold environments, suggests the comet's composition is influenced by a short-lived nickel-bearing molecule.
A Belgian team discovered iron and nickel in the atmospheres of comets across the Solar System, even at great distances from the Sun. This finding has implications for understanding the early Solar System's composition.
Researchers have collected and analyzed over 2 decades of micrometeorites from Antarctica, determining a total annual flux of 5,200 tons. Most come from comets (80%), while the rest originate from asteroids.
Researchers discovered a 800-meter diameter comet nucleus with large grains of phyllosilicate, similar to talcum powder, and evidence of organic molecules. The team used the Subaru Telescope to observe thermal infrared radiation, indicating the surface temperature had reached over 330 degrees Celsius in the past.
Researchers say Comet Catalina suggests comets were a key source of carbon on Earth and Mars during the solar system's early formation. This carbon-rich comet's composition helps explain how planets evolved into life-supporting worlds.
A wayward comet-like object has been spotted near a family of captured ancient asteroids, called Trojans, orbiting the Sun alongside Jupiter. The object shows signs of comet activity, such as a tail, outgassing, and an enshrouding coma of dust and gas.
A new study by Harvard researchers suggests that a comet originating from the Oort cloud was bumped off-course by Jupiter's gravitational field, increasing the rate of impacts on Earth. The theory provides a satisfactory explanation for the origin and composition of Chicxulub impactor, potentially shedding light on other similar craters.
Researchers have found a new network of routes that can transport spacecraft and comets at unprecedented speeds, reaching Jupiter's distance in under a decade. The 'celestial autobahn' or 'celestial highway' acts on several decades, allowing for faster exploration and monitoring of near-Earth objects.
Astronomers have detected fast-moving carbon monoxide gas flowing away from a young, low-mass star, which may provide insight into how our own solar system evolved. The gas is thought to be produced from icy comets being vaporised in the star's asteroid belt.
The study led from the University of Turku discovered phosphorus and fluorine in solid dust particles collected from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This finding suggests that comets may have delivered life-necessary elements to the young Earth.
Scientists have discovered that glycine can form on the surface of icy dust grains in dark interstellar clouds, bypassing the need for energy. This finding challenges previous assumptions and suggests a more widespread formation of amino acids in space.
Researchers at Northern Arizona University have discovered activity on the Centaur 2014 OG392, a minor planet in the outer solar system. The discovery led to its reclassification as a comet, C/2014 OG392 (PANSTARRS), due to the presence of a coma and sublimation processes indicating the presence of carbon dioxide or ammonia.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Georgia Tech used supercomputers to model the formation of the first stars, known as Population III or Pop III stars. Their simulations showed that these ancient stars forged heavier elements, such as carbon, which seeded the next generation of stars.
A study of comet motions reveals a second alignment plane in our solar system, dubbed the 'empty ecliptic.' The newly discovered plane is where comets' farthest points (aphelia) tend to converge, challenging models of Solar System formation. Long-period comets' orbits show two peaks near the well-known ecliptic and empty ecliptic planes.
Researchers discovered ultraviolet emissions on Comet Chury due to solar wind electrons striking its coma. The phenomenon, similar to Earth's aurora borealis, provides new insights into comet environments.
Researchers using SwRI instruments aboard the ESA's Rosetta spacecraft discovered a unique aurora at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, revealing the comet's interaction with solar particles. The detection was made possible by integrating multi-instrument data, providing new insights into cometary auroras.
Hubble Space Telescope images reveal comet NEOWISE's intact nucleus and intricate coma structure. The telescope's high resolution allows for the detection of dust and gas jets emanating from the nucleus, providing valuable insights into the comet's composition and behavior.
Researchers analyze Comet ATLAS's carbonaceous particles to determine the age of other comets. The study suggests that long-period comets with high carbon content have spent less time in the Solar System.
Researchers found a 10-μm silicate feature in large olivine particles, contradicting the Mie theory. The study's outcome sheds new light on comets and deep space, potentially affecting our understanding of cosmic dust particles.
Citizen scientist Trygve Prestgard discovers 4,000th comet in SOHO data, part of the Kreutz family of sungrazers. The comet is extremely faint and close to the Sun when discovered, making it impossible to see without a telescope.
Comet SWAN was first spotted in April 2020 using data from SOHO's Solar Wind Anisotropies instrument, releasing huge amounts of water into space. It is the 3,932nd comet discovered using SOHO data and will make its closest approach to Earth on May 13 at a distance of about 53 million miles
The Hubble Space Telescope has imaged the breakup of comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS), revealing approximately 30 fragments on April 20 and 25 pieces on April 23. The comet's fragmented appearance changes substantially between the two days, sparking debate among researchers about the cause of fragmentation.
Researchers studied Comet 67P, finding features that shed light on the mechanical properties of materials forming the comet. The study suggests a revised model of cometesimal rheology requiring water ice and organic material binding action.
Astronomers discovered unusually high levels of carbon monoxide in the gas emitted by comet 2I/Borisov, which likely formed in an extremely cold environment. The comet's composition may indicate a different formation process than solar system comets, shedding light on the birthplace of another planetary system.
Researchers used computer simulations to propose a new formation theory for the mysterious interstellar object 'Oumuamua. The theory suggests that objects like 'Oumuamua can form under the influence of tidal forces, explaining its unusual characteristics such as its dry surface and elongated shape.
Researchers identified ammonium salts as a substantial source of nitrogen in comets like 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This discovery resolves the long-standing N/C ratio discrepancy between comets and the Sun.
Researchers discover cosmic impact evidence at Abu Hureyra archaeological site in northern Syria, dating back to the earliest human settlement. The impact is believed to have caused destruction and burning of the settlement nearly 12,800 years ago.
Researchers have discovered traces of five different ammonium salts on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, shedding light on the presence of nitrogen on comets and its potential link to the emergence of life on Earth. The study found high concentrations of ammonia in the form of these salts.
Astronomers analyzed two outbound comets and found their paths align with an interstellar origin scenario. The results suggest that these comets likely came from outside the Solar System, improving our understanding of the outer Solar System's origins.
Researchers have traced the journey of phosphorus from star-forming regions to comets, revealing where molecules containing the element form and how it's carried in comets. This discovery provides crucial insights into the origin-of-life puzzle, suggesting that phosphorus monoxide played a key role in starting life on Earth.
The first identified interstellar comet, 2I -- Borisov, is being tracked by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope as it passes close to the Sun. The comet's nucleus is estimated to be smaller than half a kilometer in diameter and has a chemical composition similar to comets found within our solar system.
Rochester Institute of Technology received a grant from the National Science Foundation to fund scholarships and develop faculty programming for economically disadvantaged, academically talented students. The S-D CoMETS initiative aims to create a student-centered support network with knowledgeable faculty and peers.
Astronomers captured a clear start-to-finish image sequence of an explosive emission during the close approach of comet 46P/Wirtanen in late 2018. The team observed the initial brightening in two distinct phases, with a gradual second stage that continued to grow brighter over 8 hours.
University of Maryland astronomers observe natural comet outburst, capturing start-to-finish sequence with NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) data. The team gained detailed observations of the explosive emission of dust, ice, and gases during the close approach to Earth.
The mission detected 54 impacts from micrometeoroids, mostly from short-period comets with Jupiter-determined orbits. The findings help refine dust models used in various studies, including planet formation and spacecraft impact risks.
Astronomers have observed the first confirmed interstellar comet, 2I/Borisov, using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The comet has a central concentration of dust around its nucleus and is traveling at an extraordinary speed of 110,000 miles per hour.
A team of scientists from the Jagiellonian University discovered an interstellar comet with a familiar look, providing new insights into exosolar minor bodies. The comet's dusty morphology and reddish hue suggest it may be similar to native Solar System comets.
A team of international experts agrees that Oumuamua, the first recorded interstellar visitor, has natural origins. The research team reviewed available evidence and found properties consistent with objects in our own solar system. Oumuamua's orbit and path match predictions made by Jedicke and his colleagues before its discovery.
Researchers have developed a new chemical process that can turn carbon dioxide into molecular oxygen, a crucial component for human exploration of space and combating climate change. The reaction occurs when CO2 molecules collide with the surface at high speeds, producing oxygen atoms that can be combined to form O2.
The discovery of three exocomets in the Beta Pictoris system provides significant evidence for their existence. The exoplanet-hunting space telescope TESS revealed a signal from darkening objects in the star's orbit, which were later confirmed as comets.
A comet fragment has been found inside a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, La-Paz 02342, revealing unique properties of the cometary dust speck. The discovery provides insight into the formation of primitive materials and their preservation in meteorites, shedding light on the solar system's origins.
A team of researchers discovered a primitive class of meteorite containing a slice of carbon-rich material similar to extraterrestrial dust particles thought to have originated in comets near the outer edges of the Solar System. This finding provides insights into the Solar System's architecture and formation.