There’s a massive cosmic object headed our way, barrelling through space at thousands of miles per hour and it’s named the Devil Comet. However, recently it may have given astronomers a scare as it just exploded and is heading our way.
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00:00 There's a massive cosmic object headed our way, barreling through space at thousands
00:08 of miles per hour, and it's named the Devil Comet.
00:11 While its moniker might sound threatening, astronomers say it got that name because of
00:15 what appears to be horns in the form of two dust and gas tails trailing from the solar
00:19 system traveler.
00:20 However, recently it may have given them a scare, as it just exploded while heading our
00:24 way.
00:25 The comet was last visible to Earthlings some 70 years ago, and while it's expected to
00:29 be quite bright when it passes us next year, you shouldn't be worried.
00:32 Astronomers say at its closest, it will still be further away from us than we are from the
00:36 sun.
00:37 Still, the comet is absolutely gargantuan, at 18.6 miles wide.
00:41 For reference, typical comets are only around half a mile to around 1.8 miles in diameter,
00:47 meaning this one is an extreme outlier.
00:49 So why did it explode?
00:50 Well, experts aren't 100% sure, but these outbursts, as they are called, could occur
00:55 when certain types of ice are exposed to the sun's light for the first time and become
00:58 more energetic.
00:59 But astronomers say the devil comet is still too far away from the sun, meaning it should
01:03 be much too cold for that to happen.
01:06 In any event, you'll likely still be able to catch a glimpse of it next year in April,
01:09 as it passes by us for the first time in over half a century.
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