Comets are "snowballs" of ice and dust that formed during the birth of our solar system and have orbited the sun since. Live Science brings you the latest comet news, features and articles as astronomers track these extraordinary objects. From the city-sized comet that grew "horns" to the mega comet that may be the largest seen in recorded history, our expert writers and editors will tell you everything you need to know about them, and how to observe them when they're visible from Earth.
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Latest about Comets
Rare comet could shine bright as Venus as it falls toward the sun: What to expect from Comet ATLAS (C/2024) G3
Comet ATLAS (C/2024) G3 is set to dazzle Southern Hemisphere skywatchers in mid-January. Here’s everything you need to know about the 'New Year comet'.
Comets played a 'major' role in making life on Earth possible, new study hints
A reanalysis of the data from the "rubber-ducky" comet 67P, collected nearly a decade ago, suggests comets may have deposited a lot more water on Earth than scientists previously thought.
Mysterious, city-size 'centaur' comet gets 300 times brighter after quadruple cold-volcanic eruption
The cryovolcanic "centaur" comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann has erupted four times in less than 48 hours, becoming unusually bright in the process. It is the most powerful outburst from the city-size oddball in more than three years.
'Crumb trails' of meteoroids could reveal potential 'planet-killer' comets years before they reach Earth
Potentially deadly comets could be spotted many years in advance by following the meteoroid trails they leave near Earth, new research shows.
Watch the 'Halloween comet' ATLAS burn up as it flies into the sun
Watch Comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) make a death dive into the sun in this eerie footage from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft.
Rare illusion gives 'once-in-a-lifetime' comet a seemingly impossible 2nd tail after closest approach to Earth for 80,000 years
New photos of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS appear to show a faint "anti-tail" pointing away in the wrong direction. The puzzling extra limb is the result of a rare illusion that is only possible when our planet is in a certain position.
Scientists discover bright 'sungrazer' comet that could be visible with the naked eye this month — after Tsuchinshan–ATLAS
Newfound comet C/2024 S1 will light up Earth's skies in late October before a super close slingshot around the sun.
Bright comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS could be visible without a telescope for the 1st time in 80,000 years. Here's how to see it this week.
During late September and mid-October, the much-anticipated comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) could become visible to the naked-eye for skywatchers around the world.
Comet predicted to light up Earth's skies this fall may be falling apart
A new paper suggests that comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, may completely break apart before it reaches its closest approach to Earth in October. If the comet does survive long enough to reach us, it should be bright enough to spot with the naked eye.
