Comet Passing is “Space Mission in Reverse”
There is plenty of activity in the night sky this weekend. In addition to the Geminid meteor shower, scientists say one of the brightest comets of the year will pass overhead. The Comet 46p/Wirtanen will be about 7 million miles away, which is close. In fact, it is one of the closest comets to pass by earth in recent times. Auburn University astrophysicist Dennis Bodewits says it is a rare sight.
“Comets are spectacular,” Bodewits says. “Not only are they amazing to see in the sky, but they’re also leftovers from the time when our solar system was formed.”
With this comet coming so close to earth, it is an opportunity for scientists to learn more about it. Bodewits will use three of NASA’s state of the art telescopes to zoom in on the comet and study its features. He is looking for more information about what it is made of and the activity of the gases around it.
“We call it a space mission in reverse,” Bodewits says. “Rather than flying to a comet and study it, this comet flies to us.”
If the weather is clear, Bodewits says the best view will be Sunday night. From a dark spot, the comet should be visible with the naked eye, but he recommends using binoculars or a telescope. Look for the Orion constellation and follow the arrow.
Trump admin tells judge man wrongly deported to El Salvador is alive, still detained
On Friday, federal judge Paula Xinis had ordered the Trump administration to provide daily updates to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the United States.
Intellectually disabled teen shot by Idaho police dies after being removed from life support
An autistic, nonverbal teenage boy who was shot repeatedly by Idaho police from the other side of a chain link fence while he was holding a knife died Saturday after being removed from life support, his family said.
Smartphones and computers are now spared from Trump’s reciprocal tariffs
The exemption comes amid worries of how President Trump's steep new tariffs will affect American tech companies that rely on supply chains in China, like Apple.
Federal judge orders USDA to unfreeze funds to Maine
The funds had been initially withheld following President Trump's clash with Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the issue of transgender athletes.
Ukraine’s DIY drone makers are helping fighters on the front lines
The war in Ukraine is now largely being fought with drones. Ukraine made 2 million last year. Drone makers churn them out in factories and mom-and-pop operations like one in a Kyiv basement apartment.
‘The lawn giveth and the lawn taketh away’: Photos from the 41st Annapolis Cup
The yearly competition between the small liberal arts college lauded for its "great books" curriculum and the famed school for naval officer training began in the early 1980s. Several attendees recounted the legend that a discussion between a St. John's College student and the Commandant of the Naval Academy led to the latter's challenge that his midshipmen could beat Johnnies at any sport.
