Dark Comet

21.12.2024

Dark Comet

Why in the news?                        

NASA scientists are closely studying a new class of celestial objects known as “dark comets”.

About Dark Comets:

• They are celestial bodies which lack the glowing tails (a typical feature of comets) and resemble asteroids.
• They are often small, just a few meters to a few hundred meters wide.
• They have less surface area for material to escape and form into the beautiful tails we see on typical comets.
• But they are not asteroids due to their sudden accelerations.
• They often spin quite rapidly and disperse escaping gas and dust in all directions, making them less visible.
• They follow elongated, elliptical paths that bring them close to the Sun before sweeping back out to the farthest reaches of the Solar System.
• The first indication of dark comets came in 2016, when asteroid 2003 RM exhibited unusual orbital deviations.
• Since then, astronomers have confirmed the existence of dark comets, with a new study published which revealed 14 such objects.
• These comets fall into two main categories: “outer dark comets,” which have eccentric orbits and are larger, and “inner dark comets,” which are smaller and closer to the Sun, with nearly circular orbits.

                                                                 Source: The Hindu

With reference to the Dark Comets, consider the following:

1. They are celestial bodies which consist of glowing tails.

2. They spin quite rapidly and disperse escaping gas and dust in all directions.

3. They are categorized as outer dark comets and inner dark comets.

How many of the above statements are correct?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C.All three

D.None

Answer B