NASA Detects New Comets Passing Past The Earth, Could Be Seen Through Binoculars Now

The NASA's NEOWISE mission detected celestial objects also referred to as comets traveling in the inner Solar System. They might turn so bright and will be seen through binoculars or with the naked eye between this time to Jan. 14.

Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object (NEO) Studies, said that the comet known as C/2016 U1 NEOWISE has a good chance of becoming visible through a good pair of binoculars. On the other hand, they cannot be sure because a comet's brightness is notoriously unpredictable.

Comets are so cool pic.twitter.com/zX86eSGgzC

— Best of Galaxies (@BestGalaxyPics) December 26, 2016

Science Alert reports that C/2016 U1 NEOWISE will reach its closest point to the Sun in its orbit on Jan.14, 2017. The detected comet is around 140 million kilometers (87 million miles) away and about 350 times farther away from the planet Earth than the Moon. This means that there is no possibility that it will hit the Earth.

There is another comet that is detected by NASA's NEOWISE mission. This second celestial object is called 2016 WF9, that will pass the Earth in the coming weeks. It is discovered on Nov. 27 and nearing the orbit of Jupiter. It would take about 4.9 years for a complete orbit. On the other hand, the astronomers are uncertain if the 2016 WF9 is an asteroid or a comet, according to CBC.

A comet is icy that when it passes near the Sun it goes into a process known as outgassing, in which it warms and begins to evolve into gasses. It may appear bright as seen from the Earth without any telescope. Meanwhile, the asteroids are minor planets that are rocky or metallic. They are referred to as the minor planets of the inner Solar System that includes the co-orbital with Jupiter.