Search results for oort cloud

Planetary Sciences May 29, 2025

The hunt for mysterious 'Planet Nine' offers up a surprise

It's an evocative idea that has long bedeviled scientists: a huge and mysterious planet is lurking in the darkness at the edge of our solar system, evading all our efforts to spot it.

Astronomy May 22, 2025

An extreme cousin for Pluto? Possible dwarf planet discovered at solar system's edge

A small team led by Sihao Cheng, Martin A. and Helen Chooljian Member in the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences, has discovered an extraordinary trans-Neptunian object (TNO), named 2017 OF201, at the ...

Planetary Sciences Apr 21, 2025

A green comet likely is breaking apart and won't be visible to the naked eye

A newly discovered green comet tracked by telescopes has likely broken apart as it swung by the sun, dashing hopes of a naked-eye spectacle.

Planetary Sciences Mar 6, 2025

Astrophysicists predict origins of unexpected space objects in solar system and Alpha Centauri

Interstellar material has been discovered in our solar system, but researchers continue to hunt for where it came from and how it got here. A new study led by Western astrophysicists Cole Gregg and Paul Wiegert recommends ...

Astronomy Feb 19, 2025

A spiral structure in the inner Oort cloud

We typically think of the Oort cloud as scattered ice balls floating far from the sun, yet still tied to it gravitationally. Occasionally, some wayward gravitational perturbation will knock one of them a weird way and create ...

Planetary Sciences Feb 17, 2025

Many stars could have sent us 'Oumuamua

When astronomers detected the first known interstellar object, 'Oumuamua, in 2017, it sparked a host of new studies trying to understand the origin and trajectory of the galactic sojourner.

Planetary Sciences Feb 12, 2025

Interstellar visitors: Material from Alpha Centauri may already be here

The appearance of the interstellar objects (ISOs) 'Oumuamua and Comet Borisov in 2017 and 2019, respectively, created a surge of interest. What were they? Where did they come from? Unfortunately, they didn't stick around ...

Astronomy Jan 7, 2025

Will Comet G3 ATLAS perform at perihelion?

What "may" be the best anticipated comet of 2025 is coming right up. Right now, there's only one comet with real potential to reach naked eye visibility in 2025: Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS. This comet reaches perihelion at 0.094 ...

Astronomy Dec 19, 2024

Webb offers best glimpse ever into icy planetesimals of early solar system

New studies led by researchers at the University of Central Florida offer for the first time a clearer picture of how the outer solar system formed and evolved based on analyses of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and centaurs.

Astronomy Dec 16, 2024

What is a dark comet? A quick guide to the 'new' kids in the solar system

In 2017, NASA discovered and later confirmed the first interstellar object to enter our solar system.

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