What are the reasons that some comets appear green?
Answer: Some comets appear green due to a reactive molecule called dicarbon, which emits greenlight as it decays under the sunlight.
Enrich Your Learning
About the Comets:
- Comets are remnants from the solar system’s formation, composed mostly of water ice and embedded dust particles.
- When near the sun, they vaporize, creating massive atmospheres and tails of gas and dust. Their visual impact comes from the fluorescence of gases and sunlight reflecting off dust particles.
- Like all celestial bodies, comets follow orbits and can be drawn close to the sun by its gravity.
About the Green Comets:
- This comet’s orbit suggests it had originated from the distant Oort cloud, an outer space region filled with countless comets and asteroids.
- The greenish aura associated with comets is attributed to a reactive molecule called dicarbon, which emits green light as it decays under sunlight.
Why in News?
Appearing near Earth after nearly 50,000 years, “green comet” was recently seen.
| UPSC IAS Preparation Resources | |
| Current Affairs Analysis | Topperspedia |
| GS Shots | Simply Explained |