Researchers have discovered a total of 14 dark comets, seven of which are new. The first dark comet was discovered two years ago. Shortly after, another six were found wandering through our galaxy. Now, NASA researchers have highlighted the existence of at least seven more.
The researchers published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The comet featured at the top of the article, an interstellar object known as ‘Oumuamua, is not a dark comet itself, but NASA says that studies of its trajectory and movements have helped researchers find more dark comets in space.
What is perhaps most interesting about these seven new dark comets is that they prove that there are actually two very distinct “flavors” that these asteroid-like comets come in. There are larger ones that reside within our outer solar system and smaller ones that call the inner solar system home.
They also have a variety of other traits that seem to set them apart from other celestial objects. The most notable trait of them all, though, is the fact that these asteroid-like objects do not feature tails like comets. But they still look like comets.
The two types, outer dark comets, have characteristics similar to those of Jupiter-family comets with eccentric orbits. The inner dark comets are smaller and have nearly circular orbits. But we’re still unsure what causes their anomalous acceleration. Hopefully, these new dark comets will help us understand that better.
The other hope is that learning more about these comets will help us discover more about the origins of our planet. Many believe life on Earth began thanks to bacteria that traveled here from beyond our solar system. We haven’t confirmed proof of this just yet, but understanding these cosmic objects could bring us closer.
