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Green Comet SWAN Likely Disintegrated After Solar Encounter
NEW YORK – Astronomers report that Comet SWAN, a recently discovered celestial object distinguished by its verdant hue, has likely broken apart following its perihelion, or closest approach to the sun. This disintegration diminishes prospects that the comet would becomeVisible to the naked eye.
Comet’s Journey and Demise
Comet SWAN, originating from the distant Oort Cloud beyond Pluto, had been observed with telescopes and binoculars in recent weeks, displaying a prominent tail. However, experts now suggest that the comet probably did not endure its solar passage and is rapidly dimming.
“We will soon be left with merely a dusty rubble pile,” stated Karl Battams, an astrophysicist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, in an email communication.
Comets: Icy Relics of the Early Solar System
Comets are essentially primordial aggregates of frozen gases and dust dating back billions of years. Periodically, these icy bodies traverse the inner solar system, offering valuable insights into its formation.
“These are remnants from the solar system’s initial formation,” explained Jason Ybarra, director of the West Virginia University Planetarium and Observatory.
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Discovery and Observation
Amateur astronomers initially detected this latest comet. They identified it in images captured by a camera aboard a spacecraft operated jointly by NASA and the European Space Agency for solar studies.
Unlike Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas of the previous year, Comet SWAN was not projected to approach Earth closely. Previous notable cometary flybys include Neowise in 2020, as well as Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake in the 1990s.
Visibility Challenges and Future Trajectory
Designated C/2025 F2, the comet might have been glimpsed shortly after sunset in the northern sky near the sun’s setting point. However, discerning its green coloration with the unaided eye would have been challenging.
Battams noted that this solar passage might have been Comet SWAN’s inaugural journey into the inner solar system, potentially rendering it especially susceptible to fragmentation. Post-flyby, the remnant of the comet will recede into the outer solar system, beyond its presumed origin point.
“It will venture so far out that its potential return remains uncertain,” Battams concluded.