The Most Beautiful Comet, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the comet you think is the most beautiful!

Updated on Apr 29, 2024 06:18

Throughout history, the appearance of comets in the night sky has sparked both wonder and intellectual curiosity. These celestial bodies, with their captivating tails and rare appearances, have been both omens and objects of scientific study. By ranking them based on their beauty, we create a bridge connecting aesthetic allure to astronomical significance, engaging a community of enthusiasts and scholars alike. This collaborative ranking taps into collective opinions, highlighting variations in perception and favorite features of these cosmic spectacles. Voting allows you to participate actively in categorizing comets, ensuring that your preferences contribute to a broader understanding of what makes each comet unique. Your votes help shape the shared resource that illuminates the skies and ignites our imaginations.

What Is the Most Beautiful Comet?

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E. Kolmhofer, H. Raab; Johannes-Kepler-Observatory, Linz, Austria (http://www.sternwarte.at) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Comet Hale-Bopp

Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp

Known for its bright and distinct tail, Hale-Bopp was visible to the naked eye for a record-breaking 18 months.
Comet Hale-Bopp was one of the most beautiful comets and became widely observed in the late 20th century. It was named after its co-discoverers, Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. The comet's appearance in the night sky was characterized by a bright coma and two impressive tails, making it easily visible to the naked eye for several months.

Discovery Date: July 23, 1995

Closest Approach to Earth: 1.315 AU (195.7 million kilometers)

Perihelion Distance: 0.914 AU (136.9 million kilometers)

Aphelion Distance: 370 AU (55.2 billion kilometers)

Orbital Period: 2,533.4 years
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18
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NASA/Dan Burbank · Public domain

Comet Lovejoy

Terry Lovejoy

This comet's green glow and striking tail made it a popular sight in 2011.
Comet Lovejoy is a mesmerizing celestial object that captured the attention of astronomers and stargazers worldwide. It was discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy on November 27, 2011. Known formally as C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy), this comet put on a spectacular show as it ventured close to the Sun. Its stunning greenish glow, caused by the emission of diatomic carbon (C2), made it a fascinating sight in the night sky.

Discovery Date: November 27, 2011

Formal Designation: C/2011 W3 (Lovejoy)

Color: Green with a bluish tail

Carbon Emission: Emission of diatomic carbon (C2)

Brightness: Reached magnitude -1, making it visible to the naked eye
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14
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Comet McNaught

Robert H. McNaught

One of the brightest comets of the 21st century, McNaught's visible tail stretched across the sky for millions of miles.
Comet McNaught, also known as C/2006 P1, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful comets ever observed. It was discovered by Robert H. McNaught, an Australian astronomer, on August 7, 2006.

Period: Approximately 92,000 years

Discovery Date: August 7, 2006

Closest Approach to the Sun: January 12, 2007

Maximum Apparent Magnitude: -5.5

Tail Length: Approximately 35 degrees (sky distance)
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16
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E. Kolmhofer, H. Raab; Johannes-Kepler-Observatory, Linz, Austria (http://www.sternwarte.at) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Comet Hyakutake

Yuji Hyakutake

Known for its stunning blue ion tail, Hyakutake was one of the closest comets to Earth in the 20th century.
Comet Hyakutake, also known as Comet C/1996 B2, was a mesmerizing comet that graced our night skies in 1996. It was named after its discoverer, Yuji Hyakutake, a Japanese amateur astronomer who spotted it on January 30, 1996.

Discovery Date: January 30, 1996

Perihelion: Distance: 0.2305 AU (34.47 million km)

Eccentricity: 0.99935

Magnitude: -1.0

Tail Length: Approximately 400,000 kilometers
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24
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NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) · CC BY 4.0

Comet ISON

Though it didn't live up to its hype, ISON's bright green head and long tail made it a beautiful sight in 2013.
Comet ISON, also known as C/2012 S1, was a sungrazing comet that captured the attention of astronomers and stargazers around the world. It was discovered on September 21, 2012, by Russian astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok. Comet ISON was anticipated to be one of the most splendid comets of the 21st century, potentially visible even in daylight. However, it did not live up to some of the initial expectations and disintegrated as it approached the Sun.

Discoverer: Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok

Designation: C/2012 S1

Type: Sungrazing comet

Discovery Date: September 21, 2012

Perihelion (Closest Approach to the Sun): November 28, 2013
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14
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J. Linder/ESO · CC BY 4.0

Comet West

Discoverer: Richard M. West

Discovered in 1975, West's blue ion tail and bright coma made it a popular sight for amateur astronomers.
Comet West, also known as C/1975 V1, was a spectacular comet that became visible to the naked eye in 1976. It is considered one of the most beautiful comets in recent history, captivating astronomers and enthusiasts alike with its striking appearance.

Perihelion (closest approach to the Sun): February 25, 1976

Magnitude (brightness): reached an estimated -3.0 (extremely bright)

Tail Length: spanned over 30 degrees of the sky, around 70 million kilometers long

Mass: unknown

Diameter: estimated between 1.4-3.2 kilometers
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9
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Andrey Nikolenko · CC BY-SA 4.0

Comet Neowise

A recent comet that was visible in July 2020, Neowise's beautiful tail and bright head made it a popular sight for skywatchers.
Comet Neowise, also known as C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), is a beautiful comet that was discovered on March 27, 2020, by NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) space telescope. It is named after the mission that found it, which stands for Near-Earth Object Observations.

Discovery Date: March 27, 2020

Designation: C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)

First Apparition: Early July 2020

Perihelion Date: July 3, 2020

Closest Approach to Earth: July 23, 2020
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NASA, ESA, and H. Weaver and E. Smith (STScI) · Public domain

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Though it was famous for its impact with Jupiter in 1994, Shoemaker-Levy 9's bright coma and tail made it a beautiful sight before its collision.
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, also known as SL9, was a spectacular comet that captured the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. It gained significant recognition for its unique and awe-inspiring impact with the planet Jupiter in July 1994.

Origin: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 originated from the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system beyond Neptune, and is believed to have been gravitationally captured by Jupiter's immense gravity.

Broken into fragments: The comet had broken into 21 fragments, each designated with a letter, from fragment A to fragment W.

Multiple impacts: Over the course of July 16-22, 1994, the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, resulting in a series of spectacular atmospheric explosions.

Distinct dark spots: Each collision produced enormous dark spots on Jupiter, which were visible even from Earth-based telescopes.

Energy release: The energy released from the impacts was estimated to be equivalent to millions of atomic bombs.
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NASA/W. Liller · Public domain

Comet Halley

Edmond Halley

One of the most famous comets, Halley's periodic visits to Earth have been recorded for centuries. Its bright coma and tail make it a beautiful sight in the night sky.
Comet Halley, also known as Halley's Comet, is one of the most well-known and famous comets in history. It is named after the English astronomer Edmond Halley, who in 1705 predicted its return based on earlier observations.

Orbital Period: Approximately 75.3 years

Diameter: Between 11 and 19 kilometers

Mass: Approximately 2.2 x 10^14 kilograms

Visibility: Visible from Earth every 75-76 years

Perihelion Distance: Approximately 0.59 astronomical units (AU)
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6
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Comet Rosetta

While not the most visually striking comet, Rosetta was notable for being the first spacecraft to land on a comet's surface.
Comet Rosetta is a comet that was visited by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft. This celestial body was discovered in 1969 by astronomers Klim Ivanovych Churyumov and Svetlana Ivanovna Gerasimenko. Comet Rosetta gained significant attention due to the historic Rosetta mission, which provided crucial information about comets and the early solar system. The spacecraft successfully orbited the comet and even deployed a lander, named Philae, onto its surface in 2014, making it the first mission to ever achieve such a feat. The Rosetta mission lasted till September 2016, providing valuable data about the composition and behavior of Comet Rosetta.

Discovery: Discovered on September 23, 1969, by Soviet astronomers Klim Ivanovych Churyumov and Svetlana Ivanovna Gerasimenko.

Orbital Period: Comet Rosetta has an orbital period of 6.44 Earth years.

Dimensions: It measures approximately 4.1 kilometers (2.5 miles) in length.

Surface Features: The comet's surface exhibits various geological features, including cliffs, boulders, and smooth plains called

Coma: As the comet gets closer to the Sun, ice on its surface vaporizes, creating a glowing coma (the nebulous envelope around the nucleus) and a characteristic tail.

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Ranking factors for beautiful comet

Brightness

The brightness of a comet is a significant factor in determining its beauty. A bright comet can be easily seen with the naked eye, and its glowing appearance adds to its visual appeal.
Size of the coma

The coma is the cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus of a comet. A larger and more prominent coma generally makes a comet appear more impressive, as it can create a more diffuse and glowing appearance.
Length and structure of the tail

The tail of a comet is created as the solar wind pushes gas and dust away from the nucleus. A long and well-defined tail can be breathtaking and visually stunning, enhancing the overall beauty of the comet.
Color

The color of the comet can also contribute to its beauty. Some comets have a greenish hue due to the presence of certain chemicals in their comas, while others may have a more bluish or reddish tint.
Visibility and persistence

The more visible a comet is from Earth, and the longer it remains visible, the more opportunities people have to witness and appreciate its beauty. This can also contribute to the comet's overall reputation and historical significance.
Unique features

Some comets may have unique features that set them apart from others and make them particularly beautiful or visually striking. For example, a comet with multiple tails or an irregularly shaped nucleus may be more memorable and enchanting than a more typical comet.
Context and historical significance

The context in which a comet appears, as well as its historical and cultural significance, can also contribute to its perceived beauty. A comet that appears during a significant historical event or is associated with certain myths or stories may be seen as more beautiful due to its symbolic importance.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most beautiful comet. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or comet is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

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174 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each comet once every 24 hours. The rank of each comet is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

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More information on most beautiful comet

Comets have been a fascinating celestial phenomenon throughout human history, inspiring countless myths and legends. These icy bodies with long, glowing tails are formed from rock, dust, and gas, and originate from the outer reaches of our solar system. When they approach the Sun, they heat up and release gases that create their signature tails. Many comets have graced our skies over the years, each with their own unique beauty. From the famous Halley's Comet to the lesser-known but equally stunning Hale-Bopp, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring comets to admire. But which one is the most beautiful? That's up for debate, and at StrawPoll, we invite you to share your opinion and vote for your favorite comet.