science

A Comet Brushes Up to the Sun and Survives A comet named Lovejoy rushes past the sun and survives. “I was delighted when I saw the comet go into the sun and I was astounded when I saw something re-emerge,” said U.S. Navy solar researcher Karl Battams. Only about 10% of the comet was damaged.

Lovejoy could be related to a comet that came by the Earth in 1106. It also could be 800–900 years till it returns this close to the Sun. Astronomers are people who study stars say that Comet Lovejoy lost its tail. Astronomer Pesnal said, “It looks like the comet’s tail got stuck in the Sun’s magnetic field.”

The comet was in space for a long time, so it was frozen. When it got to the Sun, The ice started to melt and evaporate, kind of like when you’re sweating on a hot day. It probably did not melt completely because it turned out bigger than what astronomers thought.