Comets of the Solar System have always been of interest to space researchers. The question of what these phenomena are also worries people who are far from studying comets. Let's try to figure out what this celestial body looks like and whether it can influence the life of our planet.
The content of the article:
A comet is a celestial body formed in Space, the size of which reaches the scale of a small settlement. The composition of comets (cold gases, dust and rock fragments) makes this phenomenon truly unique. The comet's tail leaves a trail that is millions of kilometers long. This spectacle fascinates with its grandeur and leaves more questions than answers.
The concept of a comet as an element of the solar system
To understand this concept, we should start from the orbits of comets. Quite a few of these cosmic bodies pass through the Solar System.
Let's take a closer look at the features of comets:
- Comets are so-called snowballs that pass through their orbit and contain dusty, rocky and gaseous accumulations.
- The celestial body warms up during the period of approach to the main star of the solar system.
- Comets do not have satellites that are characteristic of planets.
- Formation systems in the form of rings are also not typical for comets.
- It is difficult and sometimes unrealistic to determine the size of these celestial bodies.
- Comets do not support life. However, their composition can serve as a certain building material.
Features of the structure of comets
The description of a comet can be divided into characteristics of the nucleus, coma and tail of the object. This suggests that the celestial body under study cannot be called a simple structure.
Comet nucleus
Almost the entire mass of the comet is contained in the nucleus, which is the most difficult object to study. The reason is that the core is hidden even from the most powerful telescopes by matter of the luminous plane.
There are 3 theories that consider the structure of comet nuclei differently:
- The "dirty snowball" theory. This assumption is the most common and belongs to the American scientist Fred Lawrence Whipple. According to this theory, the solid part of the comet is nothing more than a combination of ice and fragments of meteorite matter. According to this specialist, a distinction is made between old comets and bodies of a younger formation. Their structure is different due to the fact that more mature celestial bodies repeatedly approached the Sun, which melted their original composition.
- The core consists of dusty material. The theory was announced at the beginning of the 21st century thanks to the study of the phenomenon by the American space station. Data from this exploration indicate that the core is a dusty material of a very friable nature with pores occupying the majority of its surface.
- The core cannot be a monolithic structure. Further hypotheses diverge: they imply a structure in the form of a snow swarm, blocks of rock-ice accumulation and meteorite accumulation due to the influence of planetary gravity.
Comet coma
Together with the nucleus, the head of the comet is formed by a coma, which is a foggy shell of a light color. The trail of such a component of the comet stretches over a fairly long distance: from one hundred thousand to almost one and a half million kilometers from the base of the object.
Three levels of coma can be defined, which look like this:
- Interior chemical, molecular and photochemical composition. Its structure is determined by the fact that the main changes occurring with the comet are concentrated and most activated in this area. Chemical reactions, decay and ionization of neutrally charged particles - all this characterizes the processes that occur in an internal coma.
- Coma of radicals. It consists of molecules that are active in their chemical nature. In this area there is no increased activity of substances, which is so characteristic of an internal coma. However, here too the process of decay and excitation of the described molecules continues in a calmer and smoother mode.
- Coma of atomic composition. It is also called ultraviolet. This region of the comet's atmosphere is observed in the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line in the distant ultraviolet spectral region.
Comet tail
The tail of a comet is a unique spectacle in its beauty and effectiveness. It is usually directed from the Sun and looks like an elongated gas-dust plume. Such tails do not have clear boundaries, and we can say that their color range is close to complete transparency.
Fedor Bredikhin proposed classifying sparkling plumes into the following subspecies:
- Straight and narrow format tails. These components of the comet are directed from the main star of the solar system.
- Slightly deformed and wide-format tails. These plumes are evading the Sun.
- Short and severely deformed tails. This change is caused by a significant deviation from the main star of our system.
- Dust tail. A distinctive visual feature of this element is that its glow has a characteristic reddish tint. A plume of this format is homogeneous in its structure, stretching for a million, or even tens of millions of kilometers. It was formed due to numerous dust particles that the energy of the Sun threw to a long distance. The yellow tint of the tail is due to the dispersion of dust particles by sunlight.
- Tail of the plasma structure. This plume is much more extensive than the dust trail, because its length is tens and sometimes hundreds of millions of kilometers. The comet interacts with the solar wind, which causes a similar phenomenon. As is known, solar vortex flows are penetrated by a large number of fields of a magnetic nature. They, in turn, collide with the comet's plasma, which leads to the creation of a pair of regions with diametrically different polarities. At times, this tail breaks off spectacularly and a new one is formed, which looks very impressive.
- Anti-Tail. It appears according to a different pattern. The reason is that it is directed towards the sunny side. The influence of the solar wind on such a phenomenon is extremely small, because the plume contains large dust particles. It is possible to observe such an antitail only when the Earth crosses the comet’s orbital plane. The disc-shaped formation surrounds the celestial body on almost all sides.
Main types of comets
Types of comets can be distinguished by the time of their revolution around the Sun:
- Short-period comets. The orbital time of such a comet does not exceed 200 years. At their maximum distance from the Sun, they have no tails, but only a subtle coma. When periodically approaching the main luminary, a plume appears. More than four hundred such comets have been recorded, among which there are short-period celestial bodies with a revolution around the Sun of 3-10 years.
- Comets with long orbital periods. The Oort cloud, according to scientists, periodically supplies such cosmic guests. The orbital term of these phenomena exceeds the two hundred year mark, which makes the study of such objects more problematic. Two hundred and fifty such aliens give reason to believe that in fact there are millions of them. Not all of them are so close to the main star of the system that it becomes possible to observe their activities.
The most famous comets of the solar system
There are a large number of comets that pass through the solar system. But there are the most famous cosmic bodies that are worth talking about.
Halley's Comet
Halley's Comet became known thanks to observations of it by a famous researcher, after whom it received its name. It can be classified as a short-period body, because its return to the main luminary is calculated over a period of 75 years. It is worth noting the change in this indicator towards parameters that fluctuate between 74-79 years. Its fame lies in the fact that it is the first celestial body of this type whose orbit has been calculated.
Of course, some long-period comets are more spectacular, but 1P/Halley can be observed even with the naked eye. This factor makes this phenomenon unique and popular. Almost thirty recorded appearances of this comet pleased outside observers. Their frequency directly depends on the gravitational influence of large planets on the life activity of the described object.
The speed of Halley's comet in relation to our planet is amazing because it exceeds all indicators of the activity of the celestial bodies of the Solar System. The approach of the earth's orbital system to the comet's orbit can be observed at two points. This results in two dusty formations, which in turn form meteorite showers called the Aquarids and Oreanids.
If we consider the structure of such a body, it is not much different from other comets. When approaching the Sun, the formation of a sparkling trail is observed. The comet's nucleus is relatively small, which may indicate a pile of debris as building material for the object's base.
You will be able to enjoy the extraordinary spectacle of the passage of Halley's Comet in the summer of 2061. It promises better visibility of the grandiose phenomenon compared to the more than modest visit in 1986.
This is a fairly new discovery, which was made in July 1995. Two space explorers discovered this comet. Moreover, these scientists conducted separate searches from each other. There are many different opinions regarding the described body, but experts agree that it is one of the brightest comets of the last century.
The phenomenality of this discovery lies in the fact that in the late 90s the comet was observed without special equipment for ten months, which in itself cannot but surprise.
The shell of the solid core of a celestial body is quite heterogeneous. Icy areas of unmixed gases are combined with carbon monoxide and other natural elements. The discovery of minerals that are characteristic of the structure of the earth's crust and some meteorite formations once again confirm that Comet Hale-Bop originated within our system.
The influence of comets on the life of planet Earth
There are many hypotheses and assumptions regarding this relationship. There are some comparisons that are sensational.
The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull began its active and destructive two-year activity, which surprised many scientists of the time. This happened almost immediately after the famous Emperor Bonaparte saw the comet. This may be a coincidence, but there are other factors that make you wonder.
The previously described Comet Halley strangely affected the activity of such volcanoes as Ruiz (Colombia), Taal (Philippines), Katmai (Alaska). The impact of this comet was felt by people living near the Cossuin volcano (Nicaragua), which began one of the most destructive activities of the millennium.
Comet Encke caused a powerful eruption of the Krakatoa volcano. All this may depend on solar activity and the activity of comets, which provoke some nuclear reactions when approaching our planet.
Comet impacts are quite rare. However, some experts believe that the Tunguska meteorite belongs to just such bodies. They cite the following facts as arguments:
- A couple of days before the disaster, the appearance of dawns was observed, which, with their diversity, indicated an anomaly.
- The appearance of such a phenomenon as white nights in unusual places immediately after the fall of a celestial body.
- The absence of such an indicator of meteoricity as the presence of solid matter of a given configuration.
What a comet looks like - look at the video:
Comets of the Solar System are a fascinating topic that requires further study. Scientists around the world engaged in space exploration are trying to unravel the mysteries that these celestial bodies of amazing beauty and power carry.
Since ancient times, people have sought to uncover the secrets that the sky holds. Since the first telescope was created, scientists have been gradually collecting grains of knowledge that are hidden in the boundless expanses of space. It's time to find out where the messengers from space - comets and meteorites - came from.
What is a comet?
If we examine the meaning of the word "comet", we come to its ancient Greek equivalent. Literally it means “with long hair.” Thus, the name was given in view of the structure of this Comet, which has a “head” and a long “tail” - a kind of “hair”. The head of a comet consists of a nucleus and perinuclear substances. The loose core may contain water, as well as gases such as methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide. The comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, discovered on October 23, 1969, has the same structure.
How the comet was previously represented
In ancient times, our ancestors revered her and invented various superstitions. Even now there are those who associate the appearance of comets with something ghostly and mysterious. Such people may think that they are wanderers from another world of souls. Where did this come from? Perhaps the whole point is that the appearance of these heavenly creatures ever coincided with some unkind incident.
However, as time passed, the idea of what small and large comets were changed. For example, a scientist like Aristotle, studying their nature, decided that it was a luminous gas. After a while, another philosopher named Seneca, who lived in Rome, suggested that comets are bodies in the sky moving in their orbits. However, real progress in their study was achieved only after the creation of the telescope. When Newton discovered the law of gravity, things took off.
Current ideas about comets
Today, scientists have already established that comets consist of a solid core (from 1 to 20 km in thickness). What does the comet's nucleus consist of? From a mixture of frozen water and cosmic dust. In 1986, photographs of one of the comets were taken. It became clear that its fiery tail is an emission of a stream of gas and dust, which we can observe from the earth's surface. For what reason does this “fiery” emission occur? If an asteroid flies very close to the Sun, then its surface heats up, which leads to the release of dust and gas. Solar energy exerts pressure on the solid material that makes up the comet. As a result, a fiery tail of dust is formed. This debris and dust is part of the trail that we see in the sky when we observe the movement of comets.
What determines the shape of a comet's tail?
The post on comets below will help you better understand what comets are and how they work. They come in different varieties, with tails of all sorts of shapes. It's all about the natural composition of the particles that make up this or that tail. Very small particles quickly fly away from the Sun, and larger ones, on the contrary, tend to the star. What is the reason? It turns out that the former move away, pushed by solar energy, while the latter are affected by the gravitational force of the Sun. As a result of these physical laws, we get comets whose tails are curved in different ways. Those tails that are largely composed of gases will be directed away from the star, while corpuscular tails (consisting mainly of dust), on the contrary, will tend to the Sun. What can you say about the density of a comet's tail? Cloud tails can typically measure millions of kilometers, in some cases hundreds of millions. This means that, unlike the body of a comet, its tail consists largely of discharged particles, having practically no density. When an asteroid approaches the Sun, the comet's tail can bifurcate and acquire a complex structure.
The speed of particle movement in a comet's tail
Measuring the speed of movement in a comet's tail is not so easy, since we cannot see individual particles. However, there are cases when the speed of movement of matter in the tail can be determined. Sometimes gas clouds can condense there. From their movement, the approximate speed can be calculated. So, the forces moving the comet are so great that the speed can be 100 times greater than the gravity of the Sun.
How much does a comet weigh?
The entire mass of comets largely depends on the weight of the comet's head, or more precisely, its nucleus. Presumably, the small comet could weigh only a few tons. Whereas, according to forecasts, large asteroids can reach a weight of 1,000,000,000,000 tons.
What are meteors
Sometimes one of the comets passes through the Earth's orbit, leaving a trail of debris in its wake. When our planet passes by the place where the comet was, these debris and cosmic dust remaining from it enter the atmosphere at great speed. This speed reaches more than 70 kilometers per second. When the comet's fragments burn up in the atmosphere, we see a beautiful trail. This phenomenon is called meteors (or meteorites).
Age of comets
Fresh asteroids of enormous size can survive in space for trillions of years. However, comets, like any other one, cannot exist forever. The more often they approach the Sun, the more they lose the solid and gaseous substances that make up their composition. “Young” comets can lose a lot of weight until a kind of protective crust forms on their surface, which prevents further evaporation and burning out. However, the “young” comet ages, and the nucleus becomes decrepit and loses its weight and size. Thus, the surface crust acquires many wrinkles, cracks and breaks. Gas streams, burning, push the body of the comet forward and forward, giving speed to this traveler.
Halley's Comet
Another comet, the structure is the same as the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko, is an asteroid, discovered. He realized that comets have long elliptical orbits along which they move at large intervals of time. He compared comets that were observed from the earth in 1531, 1607 and 1682. It turned out that it was the same comet, which moved along its trajectory after a period of time equal to approximately 75 years. In the end, she was named after the scientist himself.
Comets in the Solar System
We are in the solar system. At least 1000 comets have been found near us. They are divided into two families, and they, in turn, are divided into classes. To classify comets, scientists take into account their characteristics: the time it takes them to travel the entire path in their orbit, as well as the period from orbit. If we take Halley's Comet mentioned earlier as an example, it completes a full revolution around the sun in less than 200 years. It belongs to periodic comets. However, there are those that cover the entire path in much shorter periods of time - the so-called short-period comets. We can be sure that in our solar system there are a huge number of periodic comets, the orbits of which pass around our star. Such celestial bodies can move so far from the center of our system that they leave Uranus, Neptune and Pluto behind. Sometimes they can come very close to planets, causing their orbits to change. An example is
Comet Information: Long Period
The trajectory of long-period comets is very different from short-period comets. They go around the Sun from all sides. For example, Heyakutake and Hale-Bopp. The latter looked very spectacular when they approached our planet for the last time. Scientists have calculated that the next time they can be seen from Earth will be thousands of years later. A lot of comets with a long period of movement can be found at the edge of our solar system. Back in the mid-20th century, a Dutch astronomer suggested the existence of a cluster of comets. Over time, the existence of a cometary cloud was proven, which is known today as the “Oort Cloud” and was named after the scientist who discovered it. How many comets are there in the Oort Cloud? According to some assumptions, at least a trillion. The period of movement of some of these comets can be several light years. In this case, the comet will cover its entire path in 10,000,000 years!
Fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
Reports of comets from all over the world help in their research. Astronomers could observe a very interesting and impressive vision in 1994. More than 20 fragments remaining from Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter at crazy speed (approximately 200,000 kilometers per hour). Asteroids flew into the planet's atmosphere with flashes and huge explosions. The hot gas caused the formation of very large fire spheres. The temperature to which the chemical elements were heated was several times higher than the temperature recorded on the surface of the Sun. After which a very high column of gas could be seen through telescopes. Its height reached enormous dimensions - 3200 kilometers.
Comet Biela - a double comet
As we have already learned, there is plenty of evidence that comets break up over time. Because of this, they lose their brightness and beauty. There is only one example of such a case that can be considered - Biela's comet. It was first discovered in 1772. However, it was subsequently noticed more than once again in 1815, then in 1826 and in 1832. When it was observed in 1845, it turned out that the comet looked much larger than before. Six months later it turned out that it was not one, but two comets that were walking next to each other. What happened? Astronomers have determined that a year ago the Biela asteroid split in two. This is the last time scientists have recorded the appearance of this miracle comet. One part of it was much brighter than the other. She was never seen again. However, over time, a meteor shower, the orbit of which exactly coincided with the orbit of Comet Biela, caught the eye more than once. This incident proved that comets are capable of disintegrating over time.
What happens during a collision
For our planet, a meeting with these celestial bodies does not bode well. A large piece of comet or meteorite, approximately 100 meters in size, exploded high in the atmosphere in June 1908. As a result of this disaster, many reindeer died and two thousand kilometers of taiga were destroyed. What would happen if such a rock exploded over a large city such as New York or Moscow? This would cost the lives of millions of people. What would happen if a comet with a diameter of several kilometers hit the Earth? As mentioned above, in mid-July 1994 it was “bombarded” with debris from comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. Millions of scientists watched what was happening. How would such a collision end for our planet?
Comets and the Earth - ideas of scientists
Information about comets known to scientists sows fear in their hearts. Astronomers and analysts paint terrible pictures in their minds with horror - a collision with a comet. When an asteroid enters the atmosphere, it will cause destruction within the cosmic body. It will explode with a deafening sound, and on Earth you can see a column of meteorite debris - dust and stones. The sky will be covered in a fiery red glow. There will be no vegetation left on Earth, since all forests, fields and meadows will be destroyed due to the explosion and fragments. Due to the fact that the atmosphere will become impenetrable to sunlight, it will become sharply cold, and plants will not be able to carry out photosynthesis. This will disrupt the feeding cycles of marine life. Being without food for a long time, many of them will die. All of the above events will also affect natural cycles. Widespread acid rain will have a detrimental effect on the ozone layer, making it impossible to breathe on our planet. What will happen if a comet falls into one of the oceans? Then this can lead to disastrous environmental disasters: the formation of tornadoes and tsunamis. The only difference will be that these cataclysms will be on a much larger scale than those that we could experience in several thousand years of human history. Huge waves of hundreds or thousands of meters will sweep away everything in their path. There will be nothing left of towns and cities.
"No need to worry"
Other scientists, on the contrary, say that there is no need to worry about such cataclysms. According to them, if the Earth comes close to a celestial asteroid, this will only lead to illumination of the sky and meteor shower. Should we worry about the future of our planet? Is it likely that we will ever be met by a flying comet?
Comet fall. Should you be afraid?
Can you trust everything that scientists present? Do not forget that all the information about comets recorded above is just theoretical assumptions that cannot be verified. Of course, such fantasies can sow panic in the hearts of people, but the likelihood that something similar will ever happen on Earth is negligible. Scientists who study our solar system are amazed at how well thought out everything is in its design. It is difficult for meteorites and comets to reach our planet because it is protected by a giant shield. The planet Jupiter, due to its size, has enormous gravity. Therefore, it often protects our Earth from passing asteroids and comet remnants. The location of our planet leads many to believe that the entire device was thought out and designed in advance. And if this is so, and you are not a zealous atheist, then you can sleep peacefully, because the Creator will undoubtedly preserve the Earth for the purpose for which he created it.
Names of the most famous
Reports about comets from various scientists from all over the world make up a huge database of information about cosmic bodies. Among the particularly well-known are several. For example, comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko. In addition, in this article we could get acquainted with comet Fumeaker-Levy 9 and comets Encke and Halley. In addition to them, comet Sadulayev is known not only to sky researchers, but also to amateurs. In this article, we tried to provide the most complete and verified information about comets, their structure and contact with other celestial bodies. However, just as it is impossible to embrace all the expanses of space, it will not be possible to describe or list all currently known comets. Brief information about the comets of the Solar System is presented in the illustration below.
Sky exploration
The knowledge of scientists, of course, does not stand still. What we know now was not known to us some 100 or even 10 years ago. We can be sure that man's tireless desire to explore the vastness of space will continue to push him to try to understand the structure of celestial bodies: meteorites, comets, asteroids, planets, stars and other more powerful objects. We have now penetrated into such vastness of space that contemplating its immensity and unknowability is awe-inspiring. Many agree that all this could not have appeared on its own and without a purpose. Such a complex design must have an intention. However, many questions related to the structure of space remain unanswered. It seems that the more we learn, the more reasons we have to explore further. In fact, the more information we acquire, the more we understand that we do not know our Solar System, our Galaxy, and even more so the Universe. However, all this does not stop astronomers, and they continue to struggle with the mysteries of existence. Each comet flying nearby is of particular interest to them.
Computer program “Space Engine”
Fortunately, today not only astronomers can explore the Universe, but also ordinary people whose curiosity prompts them to do so. Not long ago, a program for computers called “Space Engine” was released. It is supported by most modern mid-range computers. It can be downloaded and installed completely free of charge using an Internet search. Thanks to this program, information about comets will also be very interesting for children. It presents a model of the entire Universe, including all comets and celestial bodies that are known to modern scientists today. To find a space object of interest to us, for example, a comet, we can use the oriented search built into the system. For example, you need comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko. In order to find it, you need to enter its serial number 67 R. If you are interested in another object, for example, comet Sadulayev. Then you can try entering its name in Latin or entering its special number. Thanks to this program you can learn more about space comets.
Comets– small celestial bodies revolving around the Sun: description and characteristics with photos, 10 interesting facts about comets, list of objects, names.
In the past, people viewed the arrival of comets with horror and fear, as they believed that it was an omen of death, disaster or divine punishment. Chinese scientists have been collecting data for centuries, tracking the frequency of object arrivals and their trajectories. These records have become valuable resources for modern astronomers.
Today we know that comets are leftover material and small bodies from the formation of the Solar System 4.6 billion years ago. They are represented by ice on which there is a dark crust of organic material. This is why they got the nickname "dirty snowballs". These are valuable objects for studying the early system. They could also become a source of water and organic compounds - essential life components.
In 1951, Gerard Kuiper proposed that beyond Neptune's orbital path lies a disk-shaped belt containing a population of dark comets. These icy objects are periodically pushed into orbit and become short-period comets. They spend less than 200 years in orbit. It is more difficult to observe comets with long periods, whose orbital paths exceed two centuries. Such objects live in the territory of the Oort cloud (at a distance of 100,000 AU). One flyby can take up to 30 million years.
Each comet has a frozen part - a nucleus, which does not exceed several kilometers in length. Consists of ice fragments, frozen gases and dust particles. As the comet approaches the Sun, it heats up and forms a coma. Heating causes the ice to sublimate into gas, causing the coma to expand. Sometimes it can cover hundreds of thousands of km. Solar wind and pressure can eliminate dust and coma gas, resulting in a long and bright tail. Usually there are two of them - dust and gas. Below is a list of the most famous comets in the Solar System. Follow the link to study the description, characteristics and photos of small bodies.
| Name | Open | Discoverer | Major axle shaft | Circulation period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2012 | Vitaly Nevsky, Artyom Olegovich Novichonok, ISON Observatory-Kislovodsk | ? | ? | |
| 1786 | Pierre Mechain | 2.22 a. e. | 3.3 g | |
| March 24, 1993 | Eugene and Caroline Shoemaker, David Levy | 6.86 a. e. | 17.99 g | |
| April 3, 1867 | Ernst Tempel | 3.13 a. e. | 5.52 g | |
| December 28, 1904 | A. Borelli | 3.61 a. e. | 6.85 g | |
| July 23, 1995 | A. Hale, T. Bopp | 185 a. e. | 2534 g | |
| January 6, 1978 | Paul Wild | 3.45 a. e. | 6.42 g | |
| September 20, 1969 | Churyumov, Gerasimenko | 3.51 a. e. | 6.568 g | |
| January 3, 2013 | Robert McNaught, Siding Spring Observatory | ? | 400000 g | |
| December 20, 1900 | Michel Giacobini, Ernst Zinner | 3.527 a. e. | 6.623 g | |
| April 5, 1861 | A.E. Thatcher | 55.6 a. e. | 415.0 g | |
| July 16, 1862 | Lewis Swift, Tuttle, Horace Parnell | 26.316943 a. e. | 135.0 g | |
| December 19, 1865 | Ernst Tempel and Horace Tuttle | 10.337486 a. e. | 33.2g | |
| 1758 | Observed in ancient times; | 2.66795 billion km | 75.3 g | |
| October 31, 2013 | Catalina Sky Survey Observatory | ? | ? | |
| June 6, 2011 | Pan-STARRS telescope | ? | ? |
Most comets move at a safe distance from the Sun (Halley's comet does not come closer than 89 million km). But some crash directly into a star or get so close that they evaporate.
Name of comets
The name of a comet can be tricky. Most often they are named after the discoverers - a person or a spaceship. This rule appeared only in the 20th century. For example, Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 is named after Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy. Be sure to read interesting facts about comets and information you need to know.
Comets: 10 Things You Need to Know About
- If our star the Sun were the size of a door, then the Earth would resemble a coin, dwarf Pluto would be the head of a pin, and the largest Kuiper Belt comet (100 km wide) would be the diameter of a speck of dust;
- Short-period comets (spending less than 200 years per orbital flight) live in the icy territory of the Kuiper belt beyond the orbit of Neptune (30-55 AU). At its maximum distance, Comet Halley is located 5.3 billion km from the Sun. Long-period comets (long or unpredictable orbits) approach from the Oort cloud (100 AU from the Sun);
- One day on Comet Halley lasts 2.2-7.4 days (one axial revolution). It takes 76 years to complete one revolution around the Sun;
- Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, dust and rocks;
- As the comet approaches the Sun, it heats up, creating an atmosphere (coma) capable of covering hundreds of thousands of kilometers in diameter;
- Comets do not have rings;
- Comets have no satellites;
- Several missions were sent to comets, and Stardust-NExT and Deep Impact EPOXI managed to obtain samples;
- Comets are not capable of supporting life, but they are believed to be the source of it. In their composition they can transport water and organic compounds that may have ended up on Earth during a collision;
- Halley's Comet is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry of 1066, which recounts the fall of King Harold at the hands of William the Conqueror;
The brightest and most impressive comets
Comets are one of the most mysterious celestial bodies that appear in the sky every now and then. Today, scientists believe that comets are a byproduct left over from the formation of stars and planets billions of years ago. They consist of a core of various types of ice (frozen water, carbon dioxide, ammonia and methane mixed with dust) and a large cloud of gas and dust surrounding the core, often called a "coma". Today, more than 5260 are known. Our review contains the brightest and most impressive.
Great Comet of 1680
Discovered by German astronomer Gottfried Kirch on November 14, 1680, this magnificent comet became one of the brightest comets of the seventeenth century. She was remembered for being visible even in the daytime, as well as for her spectacular long tail.
2. Mrkos (1957)
Mrkos
Comet Mrkos was photographed by Alan McClure on August 13, 1957. The photo made a great impression on astronomers, since for the first time a double tail was noticed on a comet: a straight ion tail and a curved dust tail (both tails are directed in the opposite direction from the Sun).
3. De Kock-Paraskevopoulos (1941)
De Kock-Paraskevopoulos
This strange but beautiful comet is best remembered for its long but faint tail, and for being visible at dawn and dusk. The comet received such a strange name because it was simultaneously discovered by an amateur astronomer named De Kock and the Greek astronomer John S. Paraskevopoulos.
4. Skjellerup - Maristani (1927)
Skjellerup - Maristany
Comet Skjellerup-Maristany was a long-period comet whose brightness suddenly increased greatly in 1927. It was visible to the naked eye for approximately thirty-two days.
5. Mellish (1917)
Mellish
Mellish is a periodic comet that has been observed primarily in the southern hemisphere. Many astronomers believe that Mellish will return to Earth's horizon in 2061.
6. Brooks (1911)
Brooks
This bright comet was discovered in July 1911 by astronomer William Robert Brooks. It was remembered for its unusual blue color, which was the result of radiation from carbon monoxide ions.
7. Daniel (1907)
Daniel
Comet Daniel was one of the most famous and widely observed comets of the early twentieth century.
8. Lovejoy (2011)
Lovejoy
Comet Lovejoy is a periodic comet that comes extremely close to the sun at perihelion. It was discovered in November 2011 by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy.
9. Bennett (1970)
Bennett
The next comet was discovered by John Caister Bennett on December 28, 1969, when it was two astronomical units from the Sun. It was notable for its radiant tail, composed of plasma compressed into filaments by magnetic and electric fields.
10. Seki Lines (1962)
Seki Lines
Initially visible only in the southern hemisphere, Seki Lines became one of the brightest objects in the night sky on April 1, 1962.
11. Arend-Roland (1956)
Arend-Roland
Visible only in the southern hemisphere during the first half of April 1956, Comet Arend-Roland was first discovered on November 8, 1956 by Belgian astronomers Sylvain Arend and Georges Roland in photographic images.
12. Eclipse (1948)
Eclipse
Eclipse is an exceptionally bright comet that was discovered during a solar eclipse on November 1, 1948.
13. Viscara (1901)
Viscara
The great comet of 1901, sometimes called Comet Vizcar, became visible to the naked eye on April 12. It was visible as a second magnitude star with a short tail.
14. McNaught (2007)
McNaught
Comet McNaught, also known as the Great Comet of 2007, is a periodic celestial body discovered on August 7, 2006 by British-Australian astronomer Robert McNaught. It was the brightest comet in forty years and was clearly visible to the naked eye in the southern hemisphere in January and February 2007.
15. Hyakutake (1996)
Hyakutake
Comet Hyakutake was discovered on January 31, 1996, during its closest passage to Earth. It was named the "Great Comet of 1996" and is remembered for being the closest celestial body to Earth in two hundred years.
16. Vesta (1976)
Vesta
Comet Vesta was perhaps the most exciting and eye-catching comet of the last century. It was visible to the naked eye, and its two huge tails stretched across the entire sky.
17. Ikeya-Seki (1965)
Ikeya-Seki
Also known as the “Great Comet of the Twentieth Century,” Ikeya-Seki was the brightest comet of the last century, appearing even brighter than the Sun in daylight. According to Japanese observers, it was about ten times brighter than the full moon.
18. Halley's Comet (1910)
Halley's Comet
Despite the appearance of much brighter long-period comets, Halley is the brightest short-period (it returns to the Sun every 76 years) comet that is clearly visible to the naked eye.
19. Great Southern Comet (1947)
Great Southern Comet
In December 1947, a huge comet was spotted near the setting sun, the brightest in decades (since Halley's Comet in 1910).
20. Great January comet (1910)
Great January comet
This comet was visible during January 17, 1910, as a snow-white object with a long and wide tail.
21. Great comet of 1577
Great Comet of 1577
One of the first comets to be visible to the naked eye in modern history was the Great Comet, which passed close to Earth in 1577. It was noticed by many people throughout Europe, including the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
22. Great comet of 1744
Great Comet of 1744
The Great Comet of 1744, also known as Comet de Chézeau, shone brighter than Sirius in 1744 and developed a long, curved tail. It became the sixth brightest comet in history.
23. Heila-Boppa (1997)
Hale-Bopp
Comet Hale-Bopp was perhaps the most widely observed comet of the twentieth century, as well as one of the brightest in modern history. It was visible to the naked eye for a record year and a half, twice as long as the previous record holder, the Great Comet of 1811.
24. Great September comet (1882)
Great September Comet
It was a comet that became so bright in September 1882 that it could be seen close to the sun at perihelion.
25. Kohoutek (1973)
Kohoutek
And the last comet on the list was first discovered on March 7, 1973 by Czech astronomer Lubos Kohoutek. It reached its perihelion on December 28, 1973, and its previous appearance is believed by astronomers to have been about 150,000 years ago. Comet Kohoutek will next return in about 75,000 years.
Comet Lovejoy. In November 2011, Australian astronomer Terry Lovejoy discovered one of the largest comets of the circumsolar Kreutz group, with a diameter of about 500 meters. It flew through the solar corona and did not burn up, was clearly visible from Earth and was even photographed from the ISS.
Comet McNaught. The first brightest comet of the 21st century, also called the "Great Comet of 2007". Discovered by astronomer Robert McNaught in 2006. In January and February 2007, it was clearly visible to the naked eye for residents of the planet's southern hemisphere. The comet's next return is not coming soon - in 92,600 years.
Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp appeared one after another in 1996 and 1997, competing in brightness. If comet Hale-Bopp was discovered back in 1995 and flew strictly “on schedule,” Hyakutake was discovered only a couple of months before its approach to the Earth.
Comet Lexel. In 1770, comet D/1770 L1, discovered by Russian astronomer Andrei Ivanovich Leksel, passed at a record close distance from Earth - only 1.4 million kilometers. This is about four times farther than the Moon is from us. The comet was visible to the naked eye.
1948 Eclipse Comet. On November 1, 1948, during a total solar eclipse, astronomers unexpectedly discovered a bright comet not far from the Sun. Officially named C/1948 V1, it was the last “sudden” comet of our time. It could be seen with the naked eye until the end of the year.
The big January 1910 comet appeared in the sky a couple of months before Halley's Comet, which everyone was waiting for. The new comet was first noticed by miners from diamond mines in Africa on January 12, 1910. Like many super-bright comets, it was visible even during the day.
The Great March Comet of 1843 is also a member of the Kreutz family of circumsolar comets. It flew only 830 thousand km. from the center of the Sun and was clearly visible from Earth. Its tail is one of the longest among all known comets, two astronomical units (1 AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Sun).
The Great September Comet of 1882 is the brightest comet of the 19th century and is also a member of the Kreutz family. It is notable for its long “anti-tail” directed towards the Sun.
The Great Comet of 1680, also known as Kirch's Comet, or Newton's Comet. The first comet discovered using a telescope, one of the brightest comets of the 17th century. Isaac Newton studied the orbit of this comet to confirm Kepler's laws.
Halley's Comet is by far the most famous of all periodic comets. It visits the Solar System every 75-76 years and is clearly visible to the naked eye each time. Its orbit was calculated by the English astronomer Edmund Halley, who also predicted its return in 1759. In 1986, spacecraft explored it, collecting a lot of data on the structure of comets. The next appearance of Halley's Comet will be in 2061.
Of course, there always remains the risk of some stray comet colliding with the Earth, which would entail incredible destruction and the probable death of civilization, but so far this is just a frightening theory. The brightest comets can be visible even during the day, presenting a stunning spectacle. Here are ten of the most famous comets in human history.