Skip to main content

New Discovery Doubles the Number of 'Dark Comets,' Revealing Two Distinct Types.

 

This artist’s concept depicts interstellar object 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), whose motion through the solar system has helped researchers better understand the 14 dark comets discovered so far.



A new paper published on Monday, December 9, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed the discovery of seven more "dark comets," doubling the number of these mysterious celestial objects. These objects, which resemble asteroids but behave like comets, have now been categorized into two distinct populations based on their size, location in the solar system, and other unique traits.


The first dark comet was identified less than two years ago, with another six discovered shortly thereafter. Researchers first suspected the existence of dark comets in March 2016 when the trajectory of asteroid 2003 RM deviated slightly from its expected orbit. Unlike typical asteroids, which exhibit very predictable movements, this deviation suggested a comet-like outgassing phenomenon. However, despite the abnormal movement, no visible tail — a hallmark of comets — could be detected.


"We had this one weird celestial object that we couldn’t fully figure out," said Davide Farnocchia, co-author of the study and a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "It looked like an asteroid, but its behavior pointed to something else."


Further investigation into 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), a celestial object that originated outside the solar system and displayed similar traits, piqued scientists’ interest. In 2023, seven more objects were identified, confirming the existence of a new category of celestial bodies: dark comets.


Lead author Darryl Seligman, a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan State University, analyzed the characteristics of these objects, uncovering two different types of dark comets. The first type, called outer dark comets, have highly elliptical orbits and are relatively large, similar to Jupiter-family comets. The second, inner dark comets, are smaller and travel in nearly circular orbits in the inner solar system, closer to planets like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.


The findings raise numerous new questions for astronomers. Where did dark comets originate? What causes their strange acceleration? And could they contain water ice or other essential materials that could help explain the origins of life on Earth?


"Dark comets are a new potential source for having delivered the materials to Earth that were necessary for the development of life," Seligman said. "The more we can learn about them, the better we can understand their role in our planet’s origin."


As the study of dark comets progresses, astronomers hope to uncover more about these enigmatic objects and their potential impact on our understanding of the early solar system and the origins of life.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

NASA/ESA Hubble Telescope Captures Image of Supernova to Aid Distance Measurements.

  The Hubble Space Telescope has recently captured a striking image of a supernova-hosting galaxy, located approximately 600 million light-years away in the constellation Gemini. This image, taken about two months after the discovery of supernova SN 2022aajn, reveals a bright blue dot at the center, signifying the explosive event. Although SN 2022aajn was first announced in November 2022, it has not yet been the subject of extensive research. However, Hubble's interest in this particular supernova lies in its classification as a Type Ia supernova, a type that is key to measuring cosmic distances. Type Ia supernovae occur when a star's core collapses, and they are particularly useful for astronomers because they have a predictable intrinsic brightness. No matter how far away a Type Ia supernova is, it emits the same amount of light. By comparing its observed brightness to this known luminosity, astronomers can calculate how far away the supernova — and its host galaxy — are from...

Solar Storm Shocker: Earth Gets a Cosmic Makeover with Two New Radiation Belts!

  The May 2024 solar storm formed two new radiation belts between the Van Allen Belts, with one containing protons, creating a unique composition never observed before. Picture this: May 2024, the Sun throws a massive tantrum, sending a solar storm hurtling toward Earth. The result? Stunning auroras light up the skies, GPS systems go haywire, and—wait for it—Earth gets two brand-new *temporary* radiation belts! That’s right, our planet just got a cosmic upgrade, thanks to the largest solar storm in two decades. And no, this isn’t a sci-fi movie plot—it’s real science, folks!   Thanks to NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) satellite, scientists discovered these new belts, which are like Earth’s Van Allen Belts’ quirky cousins. Published on February 6, 2025, in the *Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics*, this discovery is a game-changer for space research, especially for protecting satellites and astronauts from solar storm shenanigans. ...

Tropical Cyclone Sean Hits Western Australia, Breaking Rainfall Records and Causing Damage.

  On January 17, 2025, a tropical low formed over the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. By January 19, the system had intensified into Tropical Cyclone Sean, marking the second tropical cyclone of Australia’s 2024–2025 season. NASA’s Terra satellite, using the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument, captured a detailed image of the storm at around 10 a.m. local time (02:00 Universal Time) on January 20, 2025. Later that same day, Cyclone Sean reached its peak strength as a Category 4 storm. Despite staying offshore and not making landfall, Cyclone Sean still brought significant impacts to the Pilbara coast. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that Karratha, a coastal city in the region, received a staggering 274.4 millimeters (10.8 inches) of rain in just 24 hours, setting a new single-day rainfall record for the city. The powerful storm caused widespread flooding, with roads submerged, homes affected, and power infrastructure damaged. Se...