Comets

The latest news, stories and images of comets in space. Comets are small icy balls of frozen gases, rock and dust that orbit the sun. As they get closer to the sun, they heat up and grow, forming a bright tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of miles.

HOT TOPICS:

MORE STORIES

Comet 3I/ATLAS streaks across a dense star field in this image captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South at Cerro Pach'n in Chile, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab.

We might finally know whether interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was an ‘alien spacecraft’

Tech January 6, 2026 By Josh Milton

Could we defend ourselves against aliens?

Could Earth defend itself if aliens paid us all a visit?

Tech January 5, 2026 By Josh Milton

NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope reobserved interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS Nov. 30, with its Wide Field Camera 3 instrument. NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI) https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/3iatlas/2025/12/04/nasas-hubble-space-telescope-revisits-interstellar-comet/

New images of 3I/ATLAS comet 'with a heartbeat' released by Nasa

Tech December 8, 2025 By Jen Mills

This photo provided by Gianluca Masi shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas as it streaks through space, 190 million miles from Earth, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. The image was taken from Manciano, Italy. (Gianluca Masi via AP)

Space expert gives his verdict on what's making mysterious space rock pulse

Tech December 7, 2025 By Jen Mills

This photo provided by Gianluca Masi shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas as it streaks through space, 190 million miles from Earth, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. The image was taken from Manciano, Italy. (Gianluca Masi via AP)

Is our 'alien' comet now targeting Jupiter? Harvard scientist lists 13 'anomalies'

Tech November 23, 2025 By Jen Mills

Comet 3I/ATLAS streaks across a dense star field in this image captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South at Cerro Pach??n in Chile, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab. This image is composed of exposures taken through four filters ??? red, green, blue and ultraviolet. As exposures are taken, the comet remains fixed in the center of the telescope???s field of view. However, the positions of the background stars change relative to the comet, causing them to appear as colorful streaks in the final image. See a version of the image where the stars have been ???frozen??? here. These observations of Comet 3I/ATLAS were conducted during a Shadow the Scientists program hosted by NSF NOIRLab. A full recording of the session can be found here.

NASA unveils new close up images of 3I/ATLAS comet

Tech November 20, 2025 By Josh Milton

Bafflement after interstellar comet loses its tail

Our 'alien' comet has been caught doing some really weird things

Tech November 26, 2025 By Josh Milton

Images show how the comet has changed since the summer: the red dot showing the brightest pixel appears to have reversed direction .

Could interstellar object 3I-ATLAS have 'slammed on brakes in black swan event'?

Tech November 19, 2025 By Jen Mills

A meteor shower.

Here's how to see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower in the UK this week

Tech July 29, 2025 By Josh Milton

A mysterious, ancient '12-mile wide interstellar visitor' is racing towards us

Tech July 11, 2025 By Josh Milton

A meteor shower.

Here's how to see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower just around the corner

Tech July 29, 2025 By Josh Milton

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hollandse Hoogte/REX/Shutterstock (14791154a) MAASDAM - Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas is visible over the Netherlands. Photo: Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas Visible over the Netherlands - 16 Oct 2024

Here's how to see a once-in-a-160,000-year comet this week

Tech January 13, 2025 By Josh Milton

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hollandse Hoogte/REX/Shutterstock (14791154a) MAASDAM - Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas is visible over the Netherlands. Photo: Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas Visible over the Netherlands - 16 Oct 2024

Here's how to see a once-in-a-160,000-year comet this week

Tech January 13, 2025 By Josh Milton

How to watch the Leonids meteor shower tonight and when it will peak across UK

UK November 16, 2024 By Luke Alsford

Comet A3 in the sky over a lake in Columbia, South Carolina

How to see Comet A3 in UK before it vanishes for another 80,000 years

Tech October 13, 2024 By Jasper King

Person looking up at a comet in the sky.

Comet last seen by Neanderthals 80,000 years ago could be visible again this weekend

Tech October 13, 2024 By Jasper King

Can you still see the Draconid meteor shower tonight?

Tech October 9, 2024 By Danny Rigg

When will meteor showers light up the sky and where can you see them?

Tech October 8, 2024 By Danny Rigg

How to see a 'once in every 80,000 years' comet over UK in October

Tech September 29, 2024 By Jen Mills

METRO GRAPHICS Devil Comet Path

Once-in-a-lifetime 'Devil comet' appears in the sky - here's how to see it

Tech March 16, 2024 By Hiyah Zaidi