Comet SWAN is a newly
discovered comet. It was detected in images taken by the
SOHO spacecraft's Solar Wind ANisotropy instrument (SWAN) in
Autumn 2006. Comet SWAN, like other comets, is a "dirty
snowball" that has fallen into the inner solar system to be
warmed by the radiant energy of the Sun which causes the the
comet's ices to evaporate to form this cloudy glow. Unlike
most comets, which are relics of our solar system's
formation, it appears that Swan is a relic from another star
system, a possible interstellar traveler that has
temporarily fallen in to our solar system. The comet is now
on its outbound journey destined to leave the solar system
and return to interstellar space. |
