Dark Comet

About Dark Comet:

• They are celestial bodies which lack the glowing tails and resemble asteroids.
• The first indication of dark comets came in 2016, when asteroid 2003 RM exhibited unusual orbital deviations.
• Since then, astronomers have confirmed the existence of dark comets, with a new study published which revealed 14 such objects.
  • These comets fall into two main categories: “outer dark comets,” which have eccentric orbits and are larger, and “inner dark comets,” which are smaller and closer to the Sun, with nearly circular orbits.
• Dark comets are often small, just a few metres to a few hundred metres wide. 
• They have less surface area for material to escape and form into the beautiful tails we see on typical comets.
• They often spin quite rapidly and disperse escaping gas and dust in all directions, making them less visible.
• They follow elongated, elliptical paths that bring them close to the Sun before sweeping back out to the farthest reaches of the Solar System.

Q1: What are Asteroids?

Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky remnants left over from the earlyformation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago.

News: What is a dark comet? A quick guide to the ‘new’ kids in the Solar System