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 eye-catching find is comet C/2014 UN271, also known as Bernardinelli amber. The latest analyzes of the comet, which has completed a true journey through the solar system, reveal exciting details about its composition and behavior.Scinexx reports that analyzes reveal remarkable spectral signatures of carbon monoxide (CO) around the comet's nucleus. This is the first spectroscopic detection of CO outgassing from this comet and represents the most distant detection of carbon monoxide in this wavelength range.

The comet was discovered in 2014 when it was still 29 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun - an enormous distance of around 4.3 billion kilometers. It is the largest known comet in the Oort Cloud, at least 100 kilometers across, making it particularly exciting for astronomers and space enthusiasts.Wikipedia highlights that the discovery was made by Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein using archival images from the Dark Energy Survey.Although the comet is not visible to the naked eye, it has already made a name for itself in the scientific community.

What makes the comet so special?

One of the most fascinating features of C/2014 UN271 is the explosive events it triggered. In February 2024, the comet experienced a significant brightening, suggesting a cometary eruption that ejected large amounts of dust and ice. And that was just the beginning: another similar event followed about a month later. Astronomers expect the comet to become even more active as it approaches the sun.Increasing solar radiation can cause frozen molecules to sublimate, allowing gases to escape into space. In addition to carbon monoxide, scientists could also expect methane and other gases, which will only become apparent in the coming years.

The comet's future journey is no less exciting: in January 2031 it will reach perihelion, where it will be just 10.9 AU from the Sun, and will then be closest to Earth on April 5, 2031. There is also more interesting information about this: The comet will cross the ecliptic on August 8, 2033, which should attract many astronomers and amateur stargazers.The comet's brightness increased by 1.5 magnitudes between 2018 and 2020, also indicating its experienced activity.

The Oort Cloud and its secrets

Comet C/2014 UN271 comes from the Oort Cloud, a mysterious area on the outer edge of our solar system that is full of ice and rocky bodies. This cloud encloses our solar system in a spherical shell and can host objects at distances of up to 100,000 AU. Many of the comets we observe probably come from this distant region.The Oort Cloud was postulated in 1950 and is considered the direct origin of long-period comets, while short-period comets generally do not come from this cloud.

For astronomers, C/2014 UN271 represents a special research object whose complex behavior is still being investigated. With each new eruption and discovery, we can gain deeper insights into the composition of these comets, their origins, and their influence on our solar system. So it remains exciting to see what the coming years will bring!Future observations promise many new insights into this fascinating object and its journeys through the vastness of the universe.