In the field of astronomy, we can't get enough of a good mystery. The approach of the great comet is, in fact, the most powerful and enigmatic natural force we have ever seen in the night sky.
A comet passing in front of Earth is a significant international event. Observe the enormous amount of media coverage Haley or Hale-Bopp have received when they have been in sight. These incredible space objects are both wonderful and terrifying to behold.
Most importantly, these comet viewings bring out the astronomer in everyone of us. What, though, is a comet? From where did it originate? And how did it acquire its amazing tail?
Comets and asteroids are not to be confused. Small space rocks known as asteroids originate from the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. They are still really beautiful to see, but nothing compares to the arrival of a comet. In addition, asteroids have been extensively researched by scientists.
The information regarding comets is less. Comets are typically much larger than asteroids. A comet is made up of a mixture of dust, ice, gases, and space debris. Because of how varied and unstable a comet's makeup may be, one scientist compared it to a "dirty snowball." A comet's center, or nucleus, is often very solid, but as it travels through space, the "snowball" elements frequently form a "cloud" around the nucleus that can grow quite enormously and stretch far behind the comet. The comet's amazing tail, which is made up of that trailing plume, is what makes seeing a comet approach Earth so thrilling.
Comets also have a mysterious origin. Although their origins are the subject of several theories, it is obvious that they originate from somewhere in deep space, outside of our solar system. According to some theories, they are pieces of the planet's original structure that break free of some gravitational attraction and travel across space before being drawn into our solar system by the sun's gravity.
Another idea holds that they originate from the Oort cloud, a gaseous cloud that is cooling there following the formation of the sun. As this space junk cools, it organizes into a single body that eventually acquires enough mass to be drawn into our solar system's gravitational field and transforms into a rapidly-moving comet that is falling toward our sun. Nevertheless, the comet frequently develops its own orbit and does not always strike the sun straight away due to the many planets in our solar system having powerful gravitational pulls.
The comet's life expectancy varies greatly. A comet with a short period is one that is predicted to burn up or collide with the sun in less than 200 years, while a comet with a lengthy period will likely last for more than 200 years. While that might seem like a long time to us on Earth, stars and planets have very short lives as space objects.
Researchers from all over the world have assembled some pretty amazing probes to help us comprehend comets and other extraterrestrial visitors. For instance, the United States sent a probe into the comet Giacobini-Zinner's tail in 1985, gaining a wealth of scientific information on comets. The investigation was then continued when a group of scientists from all over the world launched a probe in 1986 to get a closer look at Haley's comet as it approached Earth.
While science fiction authors and tabloid media frequently scare us about the potential of a comet hitting Earth, experts in comet orbits and the factors that alter their paths assure us that this is improbable. This is fortunate, as the collision of some comets, which can grow to the size of planets, would be disastrous. For the time being, we can take pleasure in watching comets make their infrequent appearances in our night sky and wonder at the amazing displays that these celestial guests from space put on when they are visible.
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Astronomy