Peeling the 'mask' of comet Don Quixote

A large celestial object close to Earth for more than 30 years is mistaken for an asteroid but in fact it is a false comet.

Known as 3552 Don Quixote , this is the third largest object in the group of objects near Earth (NEO), the group consisting of most celestial bodies, or asteroids, orbiting the sun. neighborhood with Earth.

The actual trajectory of 3552 Don Quixote - (Photo: NASA)

A small number, about 5%, of the NEOs that are believed to be "dead" have lost all of their water and carbon dioxide in the form of ice, bringing a characteristic tail to this group.

However, 3552 Don Quixote still has enough water and ice, according to Space.com, quoted by University of Tennessee expert Joshua Emery. In fact, it is a "living" comet.

"The 3552 trajectory Don Quixote brings it close to Earth, but also comes out of Jupiter. Such a large orbit is very similar to that of a comet, not an asteroid, with an orbit. more spherical " , according to Professor Emery.

The team conducted a re-examination of the image by the Spitzer Telescope of the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), taking Don Quixote in 2009, as it approached the closest position to the sun. , and discovered it had a comet head and a thin tail.