Comets

Comets: Why study them? What can they teach us about finding life beyond Earth?

Universe Today has explored the importance of studying impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets, astrobiology, and solar physics, and what this…

3 weeks ago

A Star Passed Through the Oort Cloud Less Than 500,000 Years Ago. It Wasn’t the Only One.

As stars in the Milky Way move through space, some of them have an unexpected effect on the Solar System.…

4 weeks ago

Some of the Moon's Craters are From Interstellar Impacts. Can We Tell Which?

By discovering two interstellar objects (ISOs), we know that asteroids and comets from other star systems pass through the Solar…

4 months ago

JWST Finds a Comet Still Holding Onto Water in the Main Asteroid Belt

Comets are instantly recognizable by their tails of gas and dust. Most comets originate in the far, frozen reaches of…

10 months ago

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…

11 months ago

Why Does ‘Oumuamua Follow Such a Bizarre Orbit? Hydrogen Outgassing

Nothing excites space enthusiasts like a good alien mystery. The interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua presented one as it moved through the…

12 months ago

Spectacular Images of the Rare ‘Green Comet’ Gracing Our Skies

A rare ‘green’ comet is passing through our Solar System and astrophotographers have been out capturing photos. While this comet,…

1 year ago

Comet Impacts Could Have Brought the Raw Ingredients for Life to Europa’s Ocean

Jupiter is the most-visited planet in the Solar System, thanks largely to NASA. It all started with Pioneer 10 and…

1 year ago

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…

1 year ago

Comets Leave Dusty Trails That Surround the Solar System

Comets are messy things. They scatter bits of dust as they travel through the solar system. If Earth happens to…

1 year ago