Comets - NASA Science
Explore images of asteroids and comets taken by NASA's robotic spacecraft. National Space Science Data Center: Comets Fact sheets, FAQs, and information about missions to explore comets.
Ancient Comet Makes Appearance - NASA
Oct 11, 2024 · The comet hails from the Oort Cloud, which scientists think is a giant spherical shell surrounding our solar system. It is like a big, thick-walled bubble made of icy pieces of space debris the sizes of mountains and sometimes larger.
APOD: 2025 January 13 – Comet ATLAS Before Sunrise - apod.nasa.gov
Today, Comet ATLAS is at perihelion-- its closest ever to the Sun. Although the future brightness of comets is notoriously hard to predict, there is hope that Comet ATLAS will survive its close pass near the Sun and remain bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye over the next few days -- and possibly a good camera comet for weeks.
Comets: Facts - NASA Science
Scientists have long wanted to study comets in some detail, tantalized by the few 1986 images of comet Halley's nucleus. NASA's Deep Space 1 spacecraft flew by comet Borrelly in 2001 and photographed its nucleus, which is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) long.
What Is a Comet? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
5 days ago · A comet has two tails that get longer the closer it gets to the Sun. Both tails are always directed away from the Sun. The ion tail (blue) always points directly away from the Sun, while the dust tail (yellow) points away from the Sun in a …
Asteroids, Comets & Meteors - NASA Science
Asteroid and Comet Resources. Explore this page for a curated collection of resources, including activities that can be done at home, as well as videos and animations, images, handouts, and online interactives. This resource package is suitable for educators, students, and anyone interested in learning more about asteroids and comets! Learn More
Ancient Oort Cloud Comet to Make First Documented Pass By ... - NASA …
Oct 2, 2024 · The Oort Cloud comet, called C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, was discovered in 2023, approaching the inner solar system on its highly elliptical orbit for the first time in documented human history. It was identified by observers at China’s Tsuchinshan – or “Purple Mountain” – Observatory and an ATLAS ( Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last ...
Why Comets Are Important - NASA Solar System Exploration
Jun 7, 2000 · When a comet approaches within a few Astronomical Units (1 AU equals approximately 150 million kilometers) of the Sun, the surface of the nucleus begins to warm, and volatile material on the comet evaporates.
4,000th Comet Discovered by ESA & NASA Solar Observatory
On June 15, 2020, a citizen scientist spotted a never-before-seen comet in data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO — the 4,000th comet discovery in the spacecraft’s 25-year history.
NASA astronaut snaps photo of 'totally amazing' comet from …
5 days ago · NASA astronaut Don Pettit watched ancient Comet ATLAS C/2024 G3 zip by the International Space Station as it makes its close approach to the sun.