Of all the space phenomena that go on around us, there is one we rarely ever think about. I am talking about the comet. A comet is a small, dirty ice ball that orbits the sun. They can be seen through telescopes and in photographs but most people don’t even know what they look like. As strange as it may seem, this article will give you everything you need to know about comets so that you can better understand them and also be interested in seeing them!
What is a Comet?
The nucleus of a comet is made up of dust and ice. Gradually, the ice sublimates (turns into gas) and the dust forms a coating on the nucleus. The gas and dust give the comet its “tail.” When a comet approaches the sun, the gas and dust are heated up and released. This gives the comet a “coma” or “nucleus,” which is visible from Earth.
How Do Comets Form?
Comets are produced when a small piece of ice, dust, and gas come together and build up into a chunk of ice and dust called a “coma.” As the comet grows in size, the coma becomes brighter and eventually visible to the naked eye. Some comets, such as Comet ISON, have had their comas become very bright before disappearing completely. It is not clear what causes some comets to become very bright while others disappear completely.
Different Types of Comets
There are many different types of comets, some of which are more famous than others. Here are different types of comets that have appeared.
Comet ISON
Comet ISON was first spotted by a telescope in November 2013, and scientists were very excited about its potential as a great comet. However, on November 28th, 2014, astronomers announced that ISON had disappeared completely and probably crashed into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Comet Pan-STARRS 1
Comet PAN-STARRS 1 was first spotted by a telescope in October 2011, and it was initially believed that it was just an ordinary comet. However, when observers looked closer, they realized that it had unusual features that made it stand out from other comets.
Comet Hale-Bopp
Comet Hale-Bopp was first spotted by a telescope in March 1997 and astrologers predicted that it would become one of the brightest objects in the night sky before eventually crashing into Earth. Unfortunately for them, Hale-Bopp became a popular tourist destination before finally reaching its final destination on December 20th, 1997.
Halley’s Comet
Of all comets, Halley’s Comet is the most well-known. After sighting a comet in 1682 and comparing its look to records of two earlier comet appearances, British astronomer Edmund Halley became the first to recognize that comets are periodic. He was right when he said it would come back in 1757. The Bayeux Tapestry from 1066 is thought to have a picture of the comet.
The elongated orbit of Halley’s Comet, which is 8 km (5 miles) wide and 16 km (10 miles) long, takes it around the Sun every 75 to 76 years. In February 1986, it last made a near approach to Earth.
The Difference Between a Meteor and a Comet
A meteor is a different type of celestial object. Meteoroids are pieces of rock or dust that have been disturbed by outer space events such as collisions with planets or asteroids. When these objects enter Earth’s atmosphere, they glow brightly because they are filled with burning gases.
A meteoroid and a comet are both objects that travel through the sky, but a meteor is just a small piece of rock or dust, while a comet is a small celestial body.
Are Comets More Dangerous Than Asteroids?
Comets are more dangerous than asteroids, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. The study found that comets have greater potential to cause catastrophic damage to Earth. Comets are made up of ice and dust, which make them very volatile and liable to explode when they are near the sun.
Asteroids, on the other hand, are made mostly of rock and metal, which means they would not explode when they hit the ground. Although both types of objects can be dangerous, comets pose a greater threat because their ice is highly explosive.