30 March 2021
The interstellar comet Borisov probably formed in the presence of giant planets, but it has never been disrupted by coming near another star, making it the most pristine object ever spotted
12 March 2020
The Rosetta spacecraft’s measurements of comet 67P have revealed a hidden source of nitrogen that may help us learn how giant planets – and even life – formed
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
2 December 2019
Comets and asteroids are among the solar system’s oldest inhabitants. For Natalie Starkey, that makes them invaluable time capsules
6 November 2019
The Perseid meteor shower rips through the Earth’s atmosphere in August every year
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
7 December 2018
The Spitzer Space Telescope failed to spot ‘Oumuamua, the first interstellar object we’ve ever seen, but we were still able to learn something about this strange space rock
27 June 2018
The path of the “interstellar asteroid” discovered last year can’t be explained by gravity alone - it was also pushed along by gas, so it might actually be a comet
27 October 2017
One of the weirdest comets we’ve seen formed from tiny pebbles that trace back to the start of our solar system – which may tell us more about how planets are made
25 October 2017
An icy comet just hurtled past the sun on a strange path that suggests it came from outside our solar system, making it the first such interloper we've ever spotted
