NASA’s NEOWISE Spacecraft Views Its First Comet
NASA’s NEOWISE spacecraft has spotted its first comet. Officially named “C/2014 C3 (NEOWISE),” the comet was about 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) from Earth…
Comet
NASA Preparing for Comet Siding Spring’s “Close” Flyby of Mars
Astronomers are preparing for Comet Siding Spring, which will pass Mars at a distance 10 times closer than any identified comet has ever flown past…
Hubble Captures a New Image of Comet ISON
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured a new image of Comet ISON on October 9, 2013. This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope picture shows C/2012 S1,…
Comet-Like Activity Discovered in Near-Earth Object Don Quixote
Using data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, CfA astronomers discover comet-like activity in Near-Earth Object Don Quixote. Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids or comets…
First Definitive Proof of a Comet Striking Earth Millions of Years Ago
A team of scientists has discovered the first definitive proof of a comet striking Earth millions of years ago. The first ever evidence of a…
Scientists Confirm that Life Really Could Have Come from Out of This World
A newly published study shows that the basic building blocks of life as we know it can be assembled anywhere in the Solar System, confirming…
Spitzer Reveals That Asteroid Don Quixote is a Comet
Data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope helped astronomers discover that the large asteroid called Don Quixote is in fact a comet. For 30 years, a…
Astronomers Anticipate Comet ISON’s Close Flyby of Mars
This short ScienceCast video details the close encounter Comet ISON is expected to have with Mars. A new ScienceCast video anticipates Comet ISON’s close flyby…
‘Lazarus Comets’ Return to Life after Being Inactive for Millions of Years
Scientists have discovered a graveyard of comets where some of the dormant objects, inactive for millions of years, have returned to life from an increase…
Astronomers Reveal the True Identity of Mysterious Centaurs
In a newly published study, astronomers used data from NEOWISE to reveal the true identity of centaurs that orbit the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune,…
Spitzer Views Gas Emissions From Comet ISON
Using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers observed gas emissions from Comet ISON, estimating that ISON is emitting about 1 million kilograms of what is most…
Comet ISON’s Journey Toward the Sun
This three minute video from NASA details and explains the journey of sungrazing comets, like comet ISON, as they round the sun. Comet ISON, which…
Time-Lapse Video Captures Comet ISON Heading Toward the Sun
This short time-lapse video shows the comet ISON as it zooms toward the Sun at 48,000 mph. This July Fourth the solar system is showing…
NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Program Discovers Ten Thousandth NEO
Researchers have now discovered 10,000 near-Earth asteroids and comets, with the 10,000th being a 1,000 foot (300 meters) asteroid called 2013 MZ5. More than 10,000…
Study Suggests Life on Earth is the Result of Icy Comets
A newly published study suggests that life on earth may have started as a result of icy comets that crashed into Earth billions of years…
Hubble Captures Close-Up View of Comet ISON
NASA’s Hubble telescope captured close-up images of Comet ISON in early April, providing scientists with images to measure the activity level of the comet. This…
NASA’s Swift Helps Astronomers Get a Closer Look at Comet ISON
Astronomers have used NASA’s Swift satellite to check out comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), revealing that ISON is shedding about 112,000 pounds (51,000 kg) of dust…
Astronomers Watch as Comet 2013 A1 Heads Towards Mars
Astronomers around the world are monitoring Comet 2013 A1, watching to see if it will strike Mars. In a new ScienceCast video, experts discuss what…
