Comet news, features and articles

Latest about Comets

A white swirl of charged gases detach from Comet Leonard's tail in December 2021. This image took top prize in the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

Blazing comet tail is whipped by solar winds in astonishing astronomy photo

By Stephanie Pappas published

A never-to-be-seen-again view of Comet Leonard took top prize at the Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.

Comets
A view of Comet C/2017 K2 PANSTARRS as seen on June 26, 2022.

A giant comet will swoop by Earth tonight. Here's how to watch it live.

By Samantha Mathewson published

One of the farthest active comets ever spotted makes its closest approach to Earth on July 14, 2022 and here's how you can catch the action live.

Comets
The dramatic outburst of Comet 17P/Holmes, seen in October 2007.

Watch the biggest-ever comet outburst spray dust across the cosmos

By Stephanie Pappas published

The dust trail from the largest comet outburst on record will be visible to amateur astronomers in late July 2022.

Comets
Vector illustration of Meteor Shower.

Shattered comet could produce dazzling meteor shower: How to watch the tau Herculids

By Ben Turner published

The comet was lost for over forty years

Comets
An illustration of the massive comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein

Largest comet ever seen has a heart 'blacker than coal,' and it's headed this way

By Brandon Specktor published

Astronomers gazed into the icy, black heart of comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein, and found it is more massive than any comet nucleus ever seen.

Comets
Comet Leonard, shown here on Dec. 4, 2021, was the brightest comet to whiz past Earth that year.

RIP Comet Leonard: Brightest comet to whiz past Earth in 2021 is now a blur of dust.

By Stephanie Pappas published

Comet Leonard, the brightest comet to whiz past Earth in 2021, has likely disintegrated.

Comets
An image taken by the Dark Energy Survey shows Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein in October 2017.

Largest comet ever observed bumps Hale-Bopp from pedestal

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet is officially the largest ever observed, according to new measurements.

Comets
This photo of Comet ISON was taken with the TRAPPIST national telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory on Nov. 15, 2013.

Comet impact may have triggered decline of Ohio's Hopewell people 1,600 years ago

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

Comet fragments may have exploded over Ohio 1,600 years ago, triggering a violent airburst and starting wildfires that devastated the Hopewell people's crops and the landscape.

Comets
Forget "Deep Impact" – and definitely forget "Armageddon" – this is probably how it would actually happen.

Climate scientist and Netflix 'Don't Look Up' director talk comet metaphors and global warming (exclusive)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Adam McKay, creator of Netflix's popular satire-comedy movie "Don't Look Up," and climate scientist Kate Marvel talk why the world needs more films like the comet metaphor movie.

Comets
A view of Comet Leonard as seen over Australia.

Comet Leonard puts on a final, spectacular display with ion tail in solar wind

By Meghan Bartels published

Comet Leonard is falling out of view, but not without putting on one last show.

Comets
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives