Solar Wind Blows Away Comet Nishimura’s Tail As It Approaches Earth, Sun

A newly found comet lost its tail while it approached the Sun. According to reports, the solar wind blew it away.

Solar Ejection Blows Away Comet Nishimura's Tail

A solar wind surge that ripped away a new comet's tail gave observers a glimpse of the Sun's real strength as it approached the Earth. Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura discovered the comet C/2023 P1, also known as Nishimura, on Aug. 11. It has approached the inner solar system. The comet is anticipated to be visible to the naked eye by early to mid-September.

When it approached the sun this week, it was buffeted by solar winds, which distorted its distinctive tail. On Sept. 2, the comet was struck by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, tearing its tail from its head in a phenomenon called a "disconnection event."

Astronomers are still unsure of the precise mechanism causing this occurrence, but solar wind in the form of CMEs seems to be involved. The active sunspot AR3413, pointing in the comet's direction, is most likely what released the CME that struck it this week.

The comet's tail has already begun to regrow, but as it encounters more CMEs in the following weeks, it could lose more of its tail.

The incident wasn't the first time a comet lost its tail due to a solar storm. Earlier this year, astrophotographer Michael Jäg er shared a snap of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) losing its tail.

Jäger drove from Austria to Bavaria in Germany to get a clear night sky view. When the green comet reached a warmer region, Jäger's video caught when it lost part of its tail due to the temperature change.

Many people were fascinated with his images, while others wondered if the comet would regain its tail or if its speed would be affected by the tail's detachment.

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What Is a Comet?

Comets are large ice and dust that orbit the Sun. These ancient objects, best known for their long, streaming tails, are relics from the solar system's birth 4.6 billion years ago.

According to Keith Horne, an astronomy professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, a comet resembles a dirty snowball. Both comets and planets revolve around the sun. However, comets have highly elliptical orbits instead of planets' circular ones. A trail of ice and dust that the comet releases as it warms up follows it as it advances toward the sun.

Ian Whittaker, a senior physics lecturer at Nottingham Trent University in the U.K., explained that this causes many loose particles, both charged and neutral, to come away from it as it moves. Like being behind a large truck on a rainy highway, all the extra water strikes whatever is right behind it. As the comet moves, the neutral particles come off in a cone behind it.