Astronomy is riddled with complex jargon that many of us will probably never need to understand. However, you're more likely to read and hear about meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, comets, and ...

• Comet – A mass of ice, rock and dust which often has a tail. The tail is made up of water vapor, dust and various gases which vaporize and grows as it gets closer to the sun. • Asteroid – A body ...

Why do comets and their meteoroid streams weave in and out of Earth's orbit and their orbits disperse over time? Researchers show that this is not due to the random pull of the planets, but rather the ...

Asteroid (3200) Phaethon, recognised as the parent body of the annual Geminid meteor shower, occupies a unique position in planetary science. Despite its rocky, low-albedo nature, Phaethon exhibits ...

The way comets behave in space may seem random, but new research suggests there’s more order behind the chaos than once believed. A recent study led by researchers at the SETI Institute reveals that ...

Michael J. I. Brown receives research funding from the Australian Research Council and Monash University. There’s a blaze of light across the sky! A fireball is seen by thousands, and mobile phone and ...

NASA says the meteor shower is best viewed during the pre-dawn hours, but the sweet spot is between midnight and 2 a.m. Make ...

Three meteor showers are active over Michigan skies, with peaks approaching. And a pair of comets are joining the show.

Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed. The meteors travel at about 41 miles (66 kilometers) per second into Earth's atmosphere. Fast meteors can also sometimes become ...