For the first time. astronomers photograph comet which breaks as it approaches the Sun.
Introducing comet 323P/SOHO. This comet was discovered by Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) 20 years ago in 1999. However, its orbit is very close to the Sun, making it difficult for astronomers to observe and study it.
Just as the Earth orbits the Sun once a year, comet 323P/SOHO orbits the Sun once every 4.2 years. Not many similar comets have been discovered by astronomers. But… what makes this comet disintegrate before it reaches the Sun? Let’s discuss!
Almost all objects in the Solar system move around the Sun in stable orbits. It’s like a merry-go-round that keeps on turning endlessly. But, once upon a time, there was a space rock like an asteroid that was kicked out of its orbit. Asteroids can get out of orbit due to the gravitational influence of nearby planets. This ejected asteroid then ends up as a comet orbiting too close to the Sun. In the end these comets fall to the Sun and disintegrate.
To understand comets of this type, an international team of astronomers made observations of comet 323P/SOHO. They used several telescopes including the Subaru Telescope. Of course, it is not easy to observe comets that are very close to the Sun. The orbit of this type of comet is unknown, so the difficulty level is also higher. Astronomers struggle to know where to point their telescopes.
The wide field of view of the Subaru Telescope is a favorable factor in this observation. Astronomers were able to find the comet and direct other telescopes to observe comet 323P/SOHO and collect data on the comet dancing around the Sun.
Surprisingly, the astronomers found an interesting thing. A comet that initially looks like a dot turns out to have a dust tail!
Comets generally have tails. This happens when a comet approaches the Sun. The comet’s tail is formed due to solar radiation that breaks up the comet. It’s like a lump of ice poured with hot water.
But in the case of comet 323P/SOHO this is not the case. When comet 323P/SOHO approaches perihelion or its closest distance to the Sun, the comet only appears as a dot.
The change occurs after the comet passes its perihelion at a distance of 0.04 AU or 6 million km from the Sun. Comet 323P/SOHO has a long, thin tail like a cloud of comet debris.
Of course, solar radiation is the main culprit in the destruction of comets and the reason why not many comets near the sun are found.
Observations of comet 323P/SOHO show how this comet is heading towards its demise. There are two pieces measuring 20 meters that emerged from the comet. In addition, comets experience a mass loss in the nucleus or comet nucleus of 0.1-10%.
Astronomers found comet 323P/SOHO rotates very fast and the color is also strange. Its rapid rotation is thought to be due to the comet’s nucleus having high cohesive strength. And this could help comet 323P/SOHO to survive the Sun’s gravity.
But not for long. Comet 323P/SOHO’s orbit is unstable. As a result, the orbit of comet 323P/SOHO is getting more oval and the perihelion of comet 323P/SOHO is getting closer to the sun. Thus, comet 323P/SOHO finally entered the era of destruction. And in two millennia or two thousand years, comet 323P/SOHO will collide with the Sun!
Do all comets near the Sun have the same nature and fate? This is a mystery that astronomers must solve. And how with further observations of comets near the Sun!
Cool Facts:
This photo is the first 323P/SOHO photograph taken with a telescope on Earth. The photos were taken with various telescopes, namely the Subaru Telescope, the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), the Gemini North Telescope, Lowell’s Discovery Telescope, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Source: This article is a republished version of Space Scoop Universe Awareness Indonesian edition. Indonesian edition of Space Scoop translated by heaven.
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