Scientists Believed This Near-Earth Object Was an Asteroid for 28 Years. They Were Wrong
A near-Earth object misidentified as an asteroid for 28 years has been revealed as a 'dark comet.'
The story so far
Astronomers have discovered that a near-Earth object, previously categorized as an asteroid for nearly three decades, is actually a comet. The object is described as a "dark comet" possessing a weak tail.
Coverage from Universe Today, Sci.News, IFLScience, and Gizmodo emphasizes the object's proximity to Earth, noting it came within 2 million miles of the planet. The reports highlight the long-term misidentification of the object's nature.
Future observations will likely focus on the behavior of this comet and its weak tail as it continues its trajectory.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 45d ago.
The obvious questions
How long was the object misidentified?
Scientists believed the object was an asteroid for 28 years.
How close did the object get to Earth?
According to IFLScience, the object got within 2 million miles of Earth.
What makes this comet different from typical ones?
It is described as a "dark comet" with a weak tail.
Sources (5)
- After nearly 30 years, NASA realized this near-Earth asteroid is actually a comet Space · 45d ago
- Astronomers Catch a "Dark Comet" Red-Handed Universe Today · 45d ago
- Puzzling Near-Earth Asteroid Turns Out to Be Comet with Weak Tail Sci.News · 45d ago
- A Dark Comet Was Hiding Right Under Our Noses And Got Just 2 Million Miles From Earth IFLScience · 45d ago
- Scientists Believed This Near-Earth Object Was an Asteroid for 28 Years. They Were Wrong Gizmodo · 45d ago broke it first
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