In a significant astronomical discovery made in 2023, scientists have identified an extraordinary comet. Named after the collaborating institutions – one based in China and another from Africa – this cosmic wanderer has drawn attention for its immense size relative to our solar system's scale.
The head of this gigantic ice ball stretches approximately 209,000 kilometers across; that’s about a hundred times the distance between Earth and Sun! This measurement alone highlights just how far away objects can truly be in space when they reach such dimensions. Moreover, its tail extends an additional striking length of around 18 million miles (or approximately 29 million km), further emphasizing this comet's enormity compared to familiar cosmic distances on Earth.
Notably though, the return journey for this massive celestial body is not anticipated anytime soon – it could be centuries before our planet will witness its passage again due to an estimated 80,000-year orbit period around our Sun!
Read next
How meteorologists recreated weather that helped decide the Second World War
Andrew Scott, in a Royal Air Force uniform with a trim moustache, looks queasy – as he might. Behind him stretches a massive Channel map; facing him, Brendan Fraser as General Eisenhower demands: “I need a forecast.”
The film Pressure, adapted from a true story, casts Scott as Group Captain James
Weight-loss drugs fail: Users experience cravings comparable to heroin withdrawal
When Mercedes's doctor informed her in 2024 that she could be prescribed GLP-1 weight loss injections, she broke down emotionally. "When she said yes, I cried in her office. I didn't really stop crying for a week," she recalled.
"Finally, after being
Waning crescent moon pairs closely with bright Jupiter
Early risers at 5am this week will be greeted by a waning crescent moon approaching Jupiter, with Mars visible from a greater distance.
The chart depicts the view looking east from London at 5am on Tuesday. The waning moon will be clearly visible, with roughly 10% of its illuminated surface