“Poisonous Comet” That Witnessed the Construction of Egyptian Pyramids Returns to Our Solar System

Sputnik News – April 4, 2020

Stargazers may soon be treated to quite a spectacle as an ancient comet that hasn’t been seen near Earth for thousands of years is making a return trip to our part of the galactic space.

As Lyudmila Koshman, astronomer at the Moscow Planetarium, explained, the C/2019Y4 Atlas comet, whose core contains poisonous chemical compound called cyanogen, visited our solar system last time during the 4th millennium BC, “back when the great pyramids were being built in Egypt”.

“It may become the brightest one in our sky for the last seven years”, she said. “Due to the solar wind, the comet starts sprouting two tails – one gaseous, the other comprised of dust – which give it an especially spectacular look”.

According to Koshman, the comet will pass the Earth at a distance of about 117 million kilometers on 27 May, and on 31 May, it will approach the Sun at a distance of about 38 million kilometers, which is less than the distance between the Sun and Mercury – the closest planet to the heart of our solar system.

The astronomer noted that the comet’s greenish hue is a product of cyanogen contained within its core becoming fluorescent when bombarded by UV radiation, and that by the end of April, the comet will become as bright as the stars of Ursa Major so it will be visible to the naked eye.

https://sputniknews.com

Largest Planet-Killer Asteroid To Approach Earth This Month Arriving On Saturday

– February 12, 2020

A potentially hazardous asteroid that’s big enough to trigger a nuclear winter and mass extinction events on Earth following a collision will intersect the planet’s path this weekend. According to the data collected by NASA, the approaching asteroid is larger than the tallest man-made structure in the world.

NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has identified the incoming asteroid as 163373 (2002 PZ39). As indicated in CNEOS’ database, this asteroid is currently traveling toward Earth at a speed of almost 34,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS estimated that 163373 (2002 PZ39) has a diameter of around 3,250 feet, making it significantly bigger than the Burj Dubai, which is currently the tallest building in the world. Given its incredible size, 163373 (2002 PZ39) will be the biggest asteroid to approach Earth this month.

According to CNEOS, 163373 (2002 PZ39) is an Apollo asteroid, which means it is known to intersect Earth’s path around the Sun from time to time. Due to its dangerous orbit and massive size, approaching space rock has been labeled as a potentially hazardous asteroid.

“Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” NASA explained in a statement.

Since 163373 (2002 PZ39) follows an Earth-crossing orbit, it has a chance of colliding with Earth every time it passes the planet. If the asteroid collides with Earth, it will cause a major impact event.

NASA and other space agencies have warned that kilometer-sized asteroids can do a lot of damage to Earth. If 163373 (2002 PZ39) hits the planet, its initial blast would instantly kill off millions.

Then, due to its size, the energy from its explosion would be enough to trigger a global nuclear winter that could last for years. The harsh environmental changes triggered by the asteroid’s impact could lead to the mass extinction of different species.

https://www.ibtimes.com