Distant comet cracks into two halves after being heated by the sun
24 June 2023
A fragmentation event has given astronomers a new way to study a comet from the outer reaches of the solar system
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Premium
Asteroids that speed up unexpectedly may be ‘dark comets’ in disguise
21 March 2023
Some asteroids appear to accelerate in ways that can’t be accounted for by gravity, suggesting they might be firing out invisible jets of gas - like those of comets
NASA's Parker Solar Probe had a surprise close encounter with a comet
17 December 2020
A spacecraft on a mission to the sun had a surprise encounter with a comet last year – and discovered evidence that it may not be a comet after all
Longest known comet tail stretched for over a billion kilometres
5 June 2020
NASA's Cassini spacecraft crossed paths with the elongated tail of a comet in 2002, picking up hydrogen ions from over a billion kilometres away
Interstellar comet Borisov is about to pass close to Earth and the sun
6 December 2019
Astronomers are about to get their best opportunity to observe the interstellar comet Borisov as it reaches its closest point to Earth and the sun on 8 December
Celestial time travel: How asteroids can reveal the history of space
2 December 2019
Comets and asteroids are among the solar system’s oldest inhabitants. For Natalie Starkey, that makes them invaluable time capsules
The Leonid meteor shower peaks this week: Here's how to see it
13 November 2019
Earth passes through a comet's trail this week, producing a beautiful display of meteors in the night sky. Find out where to look and how to get the best view
We can send a probe to interstellar comet Borisov – but not until 2030
6 October 2019
Astronomers are racing to learn about only the second interstellar object ever seen. We now know it contains cyanide gas – and we could send a probe to visit it
We may have spotted an interstellar comet flying towards Earth
11 September 2019
Astronomers have found a comet that seems to have come from beyond our solar system, which would make it the second interstellar object that we’ve ever spotted
What happened when the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet smashed into Jupiter
24 July 2019
From the archives: In 1994 comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit Jupiter, creating fireballs 2000 kilometres across – and raising US Congress alarm about what would happen if one hit Earth
