The Oort Cloud, a vast shell of icy bodies at the solar system's edge, is generating renewed scientific interest as researchers model how stellar passages trigger comet showers toward Earth. Recent studies examine how nearby stars like HD 7977 have historically perturbed these distant objects, with one star set to approach our Sun in 1.3 million years.
·A new study projects a powerful comet shower from the Oort Cloud racing toward Earth in coming years
·Researchers mapped how the star HD 7977's close passage affected long-period comet orbits
·Scientists calculated the precise velocity of a star that will pass near the Sun in 1.3 million years
·Simulations show what impact the largest comets from the Oort Cloud could have on Earth
·The Oort Cloud extends billions of miles beyond Neptune, containing remnants from the solar system's formation
drawn from Encyclopedia Britannica, WION, Astrobiology Web, EarthSky · updated 1d ago