Comet As Big As Mount Everest Is Gliding Its Way Through the Solar System

Comets fall among the most common deep space celestial objects that make it’s way from space, but this particular one is pacing towards our solar system and too at a considerable speed. With a surface-equivalent diameter of about 137 kilometres and claimed to be of a monstrous size could soon be making its way. The comet is heading towards a perihelion of almost 11 astronomical units, or 1.62 billion kilometres, in 2031 itself. Read below to understand as the comet driffts through our solar system and makes its trajectory.

Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein won’t come any closer to Earth than the orbit of Saturn (about 1 billion miles) but its 85 miles wide, and was only discovered in 2021. How many other large comets are out there? Keep looking up! https://t.co/hiezIDut1Z

— Dr. Malcolm Davis (@Dr_M_Davis) February 13, 2022

Bernardinelli-Bernstein

A comet whose nomenclature goes by Bernardinelli-Bernstein is gliding through pur solar system. This particular one has been dubbed as one of the largest with its elevation level as high as 848.86 metres, or around 8.85 kilometres. This makes it as big as the Mount Everest which is the highest peaks in the world and is situated is the grasp of the Himalayas. The most interesting thing though is that the comet is almost unfathomably large and difficult to comprehend.

Reports even suggest that the comet is six times larger than the one which caused the extinction of the dinosaurs ranging 65 million years prior. Bernardinelli-Bernstein is the prominent archetype of distant comets, whose activity is driven by hypervolatiles (compounds such as carbon monoxide and methane.

SEE ALSO: The Mega-Comet Hurtling Through Our Solar System Is 85, Yes 85, Miles Wide

About the researchers

The study from the same was published under the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. A team of researchers belonging from Spain and France helped propagate this mission. The comet was first inadvertently spotted by astronomers during a survey of galaxies in the deep cosmos back in 2014. The object was discovered as part of the search for outer solar system objects in collaboration with the Dark Energy Survey, according to the study. The announcement for the same was made on June 19, 2021.

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