Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Science

Simulations cast doubt on unusual asteroid's 'dark comet' status

In 2031, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will arrive at the near-Earth asteroid 1998 KY26: a tiny body that is accelerating in a way that astronomers have struggled to explain. Some studies have suggested that the asteroid is pushed along by water escaping from it as gas, making it an as-yet theoretica...

Simulations cast doubt on unusual asteroid's 'dark comet' status
Image: Phys.org
In 2031, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will arrive at the near-Earth asteroid 1998 KY26: a tiny body that is accelerating in a way that astronomers have struggled to explain. Some studies have suggested that the asteroid is pushed along by water escaping from it as gas, making it an as-yet theoretical "dark comet."

Originally published at Phys.org

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