Comets

2I/Borisov, detected in 2019 by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov, is the first confirmed interstellar comet to pass through our solar system. Originating from an unknown star system, it gave astronomers a rare chance to analyze the chemical makeup of a body formed around another star, offering insights into how planets and comets may form elsewhere in the galaxy.

A newly formed crater named McGetchin has been spotted on the Moon, created between April 11 and May 22, 2024, when an asteroid or comet roughly the size of a multi-story building struck the lunar surface. The crater measures about 222 meters wide and 43 meters deep, and astronomers note it is among the larger fresh impacts recorded in recent years.

Attention is turning to the origins of Saturn's rings, one of the most striking features of the solar system. Scientists believe the rings formed from debris, possibly after a moon or comet was torn apart by Saturn's gravity, leaving ice and rock fragments locked in orbit. The topic is drawing large audiences online as viewers explore the leading theories behind how the rings came to exist.

Anniversary posts mark the death of French mathematician and astronomer François Arago, who died on this day in 1853. Arago is credited with discovering polarized light in the tail of the Great Comet of 1819, among many contributions to optics and astronomy. The mention is tied to travel content about Paris and megaliths in France, where Arago is commemorated.

The annual Draconid meteor shower is back in the spotlight, with stargazers sharing viewing guidance for the 2026 display. The shower, produced by debris from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, radiates from the constellation Draco and is typically best seen in early October from the Northern Hemisphere, though it usually produces only a modest number of meteors per hour.

Periodic comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS is being tracked as it approaches the inner solar system. Latest figures put its barycentric speed at 32.91 km/s, with perihelion due in about 56 days, in late November 2026. The comet currently sits at magnitude 14.33, observable from both hemispheres with a small telescope under dark skies, in the constellation Aquarius. Amateur astronomers are sharing observations and brightness updates as the comet slowly brightens on its way to perihelion.

NASA reports that Comet PanSTARRS has developed a growing anti-tail, an optical effect that makes the comet appear to point toward the Sun. Observations from May 2013 show the feature lengthening as the comet recedes after its pass through the inner solar system. Skywatchers and astronomers are following the comet's changing appearance and discussing what the anti-tail reveals about its dust trail.

Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS is being monitored as it moves toward the inner solar system. Its barycentric speed has ticked up to 32.82 km/s, with perihelion about 57 days away. Current brightness sits around magnitude 14.2, meaning it remains a small-telescope target from dark-sky sites, currently in the constellation Aquarius and visible from both hemispheres. Amateur astronomers are following its gradual brightening as the approach continues.

The Orionid meteor shower is set to streak across the night sky this week, according to BBC News. The annual shower, produced by debris from Halley's Comet, offers skywatchers a chance to see bright shooting stars, with viewing conditions and timing drawing attention from astronomy enthusiasts.

NASA has published a science feature looking at Comet R3 PanSTARRS, following the object's changing appearance over time as of June 8, 2026. The piece presents observations of the comet's evolution, drawing attention among skywatchers and astronomy followers interested in its brightness and path.

The Warriors knocked the Comets out of the District 2 Class 2A tennis tournament, according to a local sports roundup of Wednesday results. The item recaps the district playoff match but provides no further detail on scores, players or the stage at which the Comets were eliminated from the competition.