Cometary Research

Comets are fascinating celestial bodies composed of a mixture of ice, dust, and organic compounds. They are remnants from the early days of the solar system and are typically located in its outer regions, such as the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud. Comets travel in long, elliptical orbits around the Sun. As they approach the Sun, the solar illumination causes the ice within the comet to sublimate. This process releases gases and dust, forming characteristic comet tails.

Comets always possess two tails: the "ion tail," which is influenced by sunlight and the solar wind and always points away from the Sun, and the "dust tail," which is shaped by solar radiation pressure and is often broader and less structured. The comet nucleus, the central core of the comet, is usually only a few kilometers in size and is very dark. In fact, comet nuclei are some of the darkest objects in the solar system.

Comets are often referred to as "dirty snowballs" because of their icy and dusty composition. They provide crucial insights into the formation of the solar system, as they are considered primitive remnants from 4.6 billion years ago. Some comets are visible to the naked eye and can create spectacular celestial displays, such as Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. Scientists study comets to better understand their activity and the origins of the solar system.

At the Institute of Planetology, we are establishing a laboratory to study comet activity, aiming to understand why comet nuclei emit dust, ice, and gas. Additionally, we investigate how icy bodies formed in the early solar system and how solar radiation heats comet nuclei. Alongside laboratory experiments, we use simulation software to calculate the thermal development of these bodies.