Comet seen PLUMMETING towards the Sun in NASA video

Astronomers using NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite have spotted a comet heading towards its demise. A brief video from the US space agency shows a small speck, in comparison to the huge Sun at least, heading towards our host star.

The comet in question is known as a Kreutz sungrazer – comets which were part of a larger body that broke up at least 1,000 years ago and, as the name suggests, hover near the surface of the Sun.

Thousands of these comets have been discovered, but none are usually as large as the one which plummeted into our Sun.

Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC told Space Weather: “The comet made its closest approach to the sun today, August 27, at 3.58pm UT.

“It was only half a solar radius above the surface of the Sun!”

Taking a closer look at the comet, Mr Battams noted its tail is not typical.

As comets approach the Sun, the chemicals within the celestial bodies react to the heat, producing an array of colours.

However, for this comet in question, it did not seem to produce a tail made up of gas.

He continued: “It’s more of a boulder-strewn debris trail.

READ MORE: Comet news: ‘UNUSUAL’ phenomenon as triple comet captured by NASA

Light pollution is increasingly making it difficult for astronomers and amateur stargazers alike, as artificial lighting is constantly on the increase, a team of researchers say.

According to the Natural History museum, light pollution caused by artificial lighting is increasing by an average of six percent a year.

And as things get lighter here on Earth, the sky at night seemingly gets darker.

Gareth Dorrian, postdoctoral research fellow in Space Science at the University of Birmingham, and Ian Whittaker, senior lecturer in physics from Nottingham Trent University, said: “With the constant increase of light pollution in the night sky the observation of comets with the naked eye is becoming much rarer.”

source: express.co.uk