A comet near the Sun has just died roasted. Some amazing details have emerged thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronomers observe comets to study their properties and trajectories to find out what they are made of and also whether they pose a threat to Earth. However, this time the astronomers saw something shocking! A comet approaching the Sun was practically killed in front of astronomers’ eyes, so to speak. These observations were truly unprecedented. This incident will also help astronomers understand why comets orbiting near the sun appear to be disappearing.
The decaying comet near the sun is known as 323P / SOHO, which was first discovered in 1999 by the European Space Agency’s Solar and Heliosphere Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, which is constantly observing the Sun. 323P / SOHO is known to be one of those rare comets close to the Sun, which follow an elliptical orbit around the Sun. Scientists believe that there are many such comets that exist, but only a couple of them have been observed yet. And this recent observation of the comet roasting to death near the Sun may explain why, says the University of Hawai’i News report. Read also: NASA: Hubble Telescope Reveals Unknown Facts About This LARGEST Comet!
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How astronomers observed the breaking of the comet near the Sun.
The Subaru Telescope has been following the comet since December 2020, although it was only a small point moving through space. This time, it seems to have gotten too close to the Sun. After passing close, the Hubble Space Telescope picked it up, but it looked very different. The results showed a long tail of dust ejected from the comet. This visible change in the comet indicated its disintegration due to extreme heat from the Sun. The comet was also found to change color and rotate rapidly, completing a rotation in just half an hour. Read also: The Hubble Telescope captures a giant star 32 times larger than the Sun, but it will die first! Check out a stunning photo of NASA
“The sun’s intense radiation caused parts of the comet to break due to the thermal fracture, similar to how ice cubes crack when you pour a hot drink into it. This mass loss mechanism could help explain What about the population near the Sun and why there are so few left, “the research team said in a statement.