One of these chunky rocks or balls of ice could eventually slam into Earth and change the planet irreversibly. Here’s what you need to know about them—and whether they are a serious risk
that the belt might be “a cosmic refugee camp” for the remnants of planets that formed elsewhere in the solar system.Comets are balls of ice and rock whose glowing tails can sometimes be seen from Earth as they streak through the night sky. Comets grow those tails whenever their orbits bring them close to the sun, causing the icy objects to. The sun illuminates the tail, giving it a majestic glow.
Comet Hyakutake in the night sky. Among the brightest comets observed in the 20th century, Hyakutake passed 15 million kilometers from Earth on March 25, 1996. It is a long-period comet: it last appeared at least 10,000 years ago, and its next visit will be in about 20,000 years.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
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