Gigantic Comet C/2014 UN271: Scientists warn of explosive jets!

Gigantic Comet C/2014 UN271: Scientists warn of explosive jets!

In astronomy there are always discoveries that change our view of the universe. A particularly sensational find is the Komet C/2014 UN271, also known as Bernardinelli-Bernstein. The latest analyzes of the comet, which has a real journey through the solar system, show exciting details about its composition and behavior. Scinexx reports that analyzes reveal remarkable spectral signatures of carbon monoxide (CO) around the comet seeds. This is the first spectroscopic detection of co-extermations on this comet and represents the most distant detection of carbon monoxide in this wavelength range.

The comet was discovered in 2014 when he was still 29 astronomical units (AE) from the sun - that is an enormous distance of around 4.3 billion kilometers. With a diameter of at least 100 kilometers, he has the largest known comet of the Oortschen Wolke, which makes him particularly exciting for astronomers and space enthusiasts. Wikipedia emphasizes that the discovery of Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein was based on archive pictures of the Dark Energy Survey. Eye is visible, he has already made a name for himself in the scientific community.

What makes the comet so special?

One of the most fascinating features of C/2014 UN271 are the explosion events that he triggered. In February 2024, the comet experienced a significant lightening that indicates a comet outbreak in which large amounts of dust and ice were ejected. And that was just the beginning: another similar event followed about a month later. Astronomers expect the comet to become even more active when it continues to approach the sun. The increasing sunlight can cause frozen molecules to sublimate so that gases escape into space. In addition to carbon monoxide, the scientists could also expect methane and other gases that will only be shown in the coming years.

The future journey of the comet is no less exciting: in January 2031 he will reach his perihel, where he is only 10.9 Ae from the sun, and will then be closest to the earth on April 5, 2031. There is also further interesting information: The comet will cross the ecliptic on August 8, 2033, which should attract many astronomers and hobby star observers. The brightness of the comet increased between 2018 and 2020, which also indicates its activity.

The Oortsche Wolke and its secrets

The Komet C/2014 UN271 comes from the Oortschen Wolke, a mysterious area on the outer edge of our solar system, which is full of ice and rock bodies. This cloud encloses our solar system in a ball bowl and can accommodate objects in distances of up to 100,000 AE. Many of the comets we observe probably come from this distant area. The Oortsche Wolke was postulated in 1950 and is considered a direct origin for the long -period comets, while short periods do not usually come from this cloud.

For astronomers, C/2014 UN271 is a special research object, the complex behavior of which is still being examined. With every new outbreak and discovery, we can gain deeper insights into the composition of these comets, their origin and their influence on our solar system. So it remains exciting what the coming years will bring! The future observations promise many new findings about this fascinating object and its trips through the vastness of the universe.