Animation of an Asteroid Field

Credit: Bill Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF). Music: Mark Mercury.
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Asteroids, Comets and More The Solar System

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A bright, icy-looking object floats in deep space at the center of the image, surrounded by a large, glowing blue and pale orange cloud that fades softly into the dark background. The blue part of the cloud is largest and mostly on the left-hand side. The orange part is smaller and on the right-hand side. Small stars are scattered throughout the black sky. Artist’s Impression of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Interstellar comet 2I/Borisov, a mysterious visitor from the depths of space, is the first conclusively identified comet from another star. The comet consists of a loose agglomeration of ices and dust particles, and is likely no more than 3,200 feet across, about the length of nine football fields. ALMA observed hydrogen cyanide gas (HCN) and carbon monoxide gas (CO) ejected out of the comet as it approached the Sun and heated up. The ALMA images show that the comet contains an unusually large amount of CO gas. ALMA is the first telescope to measure the gases originating directly from the nucleus of an object that travelled to us from another planetary system. Comet 2I/Borisov Has an Unusual Composition
Artist impression of the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov as it travels through our solar system. This mysterious visitor from the depths of space is the first conclusively identified comet from another star. The comet consists of a loose agglomeration of ices and dust particles, and is likely no more than 3,200 feet across, about the length of nine football fields. Gas is ejected out of the comet as it approaches the Sun and is heated up. Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov
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