Asteroids and comets are far more similar than we once thought.
Spooky The Dead Comet
Today the object 2015 TB145 will make a “close” flyby of Earth. It’s been nicknamed Spooky due to its Halloween arrival date, and we’re already starting to learn a few things about it.
Alcohol In Comet Lovejoy Points To Early Chemistry
Comets are frozen remnants from the formation of our solar system, which is why it’s interesting that ethyl alcohol has been observed in the tail of comet Lovejoy.
The Comet That Was Once Two
One of the striking features of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is its “rubber duck” shape with two distinct lobes. We now know the ducky comet was once two comets.
Electric Avenue
New data from Rosetta shows that electrons play a role in the creation of cometary atmospheres.
Colors of the Wind
Comets don’t have strong magnetic fields, so how do they create a magnetosphere that resists the solar wind?
Easy Being Green
Yes, comet Lovejoy is really green, and its all due to the molecules in its tail.
Lovejoy
This year starts off with a naked eye comet known as Lovejoy (or C/2014 Q2, for those who like to be specific). It’s a long period comet first observed by Terry Lovejoy back in August. The comet isn’t particularly bright, being just within naked-eye range at magnitude 5. But it happens to be near the celestial equator, and even near the constellation Orion, so it is widely observable. Most people will require a small telescope or pair of binoculars to see it, but it isn’t difficult to find.
A Comet’s Tale
Results are starting to come in from the Rosetta mission, including a new article in Science on the composition of water on the comet 67P/C-G. The results support the idea that Earth’s water didn’t come from cometary bombardments.
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