Some Comets are Naked, and One Just Got Caught Photo-Bombing

Some comets are "naked," meaning they have little or no coma, and one such comet, 28P/Neujmin, was observed by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. The team found that this comet, which orbits the Sun every 18 years, is one of the largest in the Jupiter family comets and is spectrally similar to D-type asteroids. The Subaru observations revealed that its surface is different from C- and D-type asteroids, even though it looks similar in color. The opposition effect, which shows a surge in brightness when observed at a specific angle, helped determine its surface properties. The comet's surface is more loosely packed or fluffier than those of asteroids, suggesting it may have formed in a different environment. The study highlights the blurring line between comets and asteroids, as D-type asteroids now look almost like comets. The research underscores the importance of better evidence from powerful telescopes to clarify the evolution of the Solar System.

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