2 weeks Ago
BY Shannon Cudd2 minute read Our galaxy is packed with wonders and mysteries—and no, this isn't a pitch for the next Star Wars series. We're talking about a real-life event that only happens once every 80,000 years in the Northern Hemisphere, so maybe try not to miss it: A comet not seen since the Stone Age is going to light up the night sky beginning tonight through the end of the month. Let's take a look at how the same comet that a real-life Fred Flintstone might have gazed upon can reappear, when it was first discovered, and how best to see it.
What is a comet anyway? Just like with Ikea furniture, when our solar system was being formed 4.6 billion years ago, there were some spare parts. These leftovers are essentially dust and ice that orbit the sun.
At the core of a comet is a frozen nucleus that heats up as it gets closer to the sun, making it gassy. The dust and gas form a couple of cute tails. The ion tail points away from the sun, and the dust.
.. Shannon Cudd.
