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By December of this year, NASA had already identified seven rare “black comets” in the Solar System. But on Monday, the 9th, NASA announced the discovery of seven more of these intriguing celestial objects, doubling the total number to 14.
The research, led by postdoctoral fellow Darryl Seligman of Michigan State University and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that these “dark comets” have unique behaviors. According to NASA scientists, the movement of these stars is driven by volatile materials that evaporate from their surfaces, maintaining an appearance similar to that of asteroids.
What are 'Black Comets' discovered by NASA?
Despite the name, “black comets” are not related to black holes. They are objects that combine characteristics of asteroids and comets: visually similar to asteroids, but with a rapid movement typical of comets. The first discovery of these objects occurred in 2016, with the asteroid 2003RM, which presented a perturbed orbit like that of a comet, without displaying a visible tail.
Two types of “Black Comets”
NASA has identified two categories of dark comets within the Solar System:
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Outer Dark Comets: They are larger, hundreds of meters in diameter, and have elliptical orbits, similar to those of Jupiter-family comets.
Inner Dark Comets: Located in the inner part of the Solar System, they have nearly circular orbits and are smaller, generally only tens of meters in diameter.
These classifications help NASA better understand the origin of these objects and their role in the evolution of the Solar System. There are indications that these comets may have provided essential materials for the formation of life on Earth.
New questions for astronomy
The discovery of new “black comets” raises several questions for NASA scientists. How did these objects form? What causes the anomalous acceleration in their orbits? Are there ices present in these comets, which could indicate a mechanism for transporting material through the Solar System?
Darryl Seligman points out that understanding these stars could be crucial to deciphering how the elements essential for life arrived on Earth. With these new discoveries, NASA is opening the door to more in-depth studies on the origin and evolution of not only our planet, but also the entire Solar System.
NASA's recent discoveries promise to revolutionize our understanding of the mysteries of the Solar System, bringing to light new knowledge about the celestial bodies that share our space.
