A NASA and ESA telescope has spotted the return of a comet to the Sun after it had spend some time out on its travels . Aww .
The comet is called 96P , and it was spotted by the Solar and Heliophysics Observatory ( SOHO ) on October 25 . It was realize approaching the Sun , before passing out of thought again on October 30 .
Also called comet Machholz , it completes an orbit of the Sun every 5.24 long time . It comes as closelipped as 18 million kilometers ( 11 million miles ) , a tenth part the distance of Earth and the Sun , and swings out beyond the orbit of Jupiter .
This journey makes it a short - full stop Sungrazing comet , and it ’s actually the comet that SOHO has spotted the most often . It was find out in 1996 , 2002 , 2007 , 2012 , and then this year as well .
It was n’t just SOHO that spotted it , as NASA ’s Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory ( STEREO ) also got a glance between October 26 and 28 .
“ It is extremely uncommon for comets to be seen simultaneously from two different locations in space , and these are the most comprehensive parallel observations of comet 96P yet , ” NASA said in astatement .
“ scientist are eager to use these combined observations to learn more about the comet ’s constitution , as well as its fundamental interaction with the solar wind , the constant menstruum of level particles from the Sun . ”
Interestingly , back in 2008 , some astronomers hypothesize whether this comet may have originatedoutside our Solar System . That ’s because it has a uncanny orbit that ’s really highly inclined to the woodworking plane of the Solar System . The probability of snag a comet in this way are pretty slender though , so that ’s never been confirmed .
NASA notes that this comet is unlikely to be interstellar but , rather , it is part of a big and divers mob that arise “ from a much larger parent comet that over millennia , broke up into minuscule fragments . ”
But it ’s quite timely because just the other day we had what we think is our true first confirmedinterstellar visitant . The rock flew through our Solar System and is now on its mode out , unlikely to ever render .
As for 96P though , well , we ’ll probably get to see it quite a few more clock time . However , scientist on this notch bring out a fragment revolve with the comet , follow on from two that were get a line in 2012 . This suggests the comet may be breaking apart as it repeatedly go near the Sun .
