The comet was first observed in 2014, but now, after 7 years, scientists have been able to identify it.
Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is named after the two scientists who discovered it.
Initially, the two astronomers spotted the comet as a small planet, known as a dwarf planet, but as the comet approached our planet, we were able to observe it and learn more about the formation of the solar system.
Gary Bernstein, one of the two astronomers who discovered the comet, said: “We have the privilege of discovering…perhaps the largest comet ever seen – or at least bigger than any well-studied comet – and finding it early enough for people to watch as it evolves as it approaches our planet. (Earth)”.
He added, “The comet has not visited our solar system for more than 3 million years.”
According to NASA, there are currently 3,743 known comets.
Comets are usually about 2 to 3 miles wide, about the size of a small city.
But Bernardinelli-Bernstein’s comet is incredibly large, about 93 miles across – the same distance between the English cities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
According to the BBC, it’s actually so far away that astronomers estimate that a comet could take millions of years to orbit the sun, while Earth would take about 365 days.
And the “BBC” indicated that during the next decade, as the comet “Bernardinelli Bernstein” approaches the sun, scientists will be able to monitor it closely, as it will be at its closest point to Earth, on January 21, 2031.
At this point, it will still be about a billion miles from the sun.
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