Comet or asteroid? Scientists ID interstellar visitor

 


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Last year's visitor from another star system — a cigar-shaped object briefly tumbling through our cosmic neck of the woods — has now been identified as a comet.

A European-led team makes the case in Wednesday's edition of the journal Nature.

Telescopes first spotted the mysterious red-tinged object last October as it zipped through the inner solar system. Since then, astronomers have flip-flopped between comet and asteroid for our first confirmed interstellar guest.

Neither a coma nor tail was spotted, hallmarks of an icy comet. But Italian astronomer Marco Micheli...



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