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
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS could be turning bright green, surprising new photos reveal
New photos captured during the recent "blood moon" total lunar eclipse show that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS may be turning green as it gets closer to the sun.
New photos of comet 3I/ATLAS reveal its tail growing before our eyes
New images reveal interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS beginning to grow a signature tail as it zooms closer to the sun ahead of a close encounter with Earth this fall.
James Webb telescope images reveal there's something strange with interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made its first observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, revealing that the comet appears to be unusually rich in carbon dioxide.
NASA's Hubble telescope reveals most detailed photos of interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS to date
New images from the Hubble telescope show an extrasolar entity as it hurtles through our solar system at speeds of more than 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h).
3I/ATLAS is 7 miles wide — the largest interstellar object ever seen — new photos from Vera C. Rubin Observatory reveal
Detailed photos from the newly operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory have revealed that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is roughly 7 miles wide, making it the largest of its kind ever seen.
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS transforms into a giant 'cosmic rainbow' in trippy new telescope image
New photos, including a striking technicolor timelapse, show off the newly discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as it shoots toward us through the solar system.
'Interstellar visitor' 3I/ATLAS could be the oldest comet ever seen — and could grow a spectacular tail later this year
New simulations have narrowed down where the newly discovered interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS likely came from, revealing it could be more than 3 billion years older than the solar system.
Astronomers are racing to study our solar system's newest 'interstellar visitor.' Here's why.
Astronomers have been given the rare opportunity to study an extrasolar object after the recent discovery of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Experts tell Live Science how they are planning to observe the cosmic visitor.
