A mysterious volcanic comet has transformed into a giant, "fossil-like" spiral of light after one of its most violent outbursts in years, new photos reveal. The stunning spectacle is a reminder of how puzzling this particular planetary remnant really is.
The unusual comet, known as 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann (29P), is a hefty ice ball spanning around 37 miles (60 kilometers) — roughly three times the length of Manhattan. It is part of a rare group of around 500 objects dubbed "centaurs," which spend their entire lives circling the inner solar system. The comet also belongs to an even more exclusive club known as cryovolcanic comets, which occasionally spew gas and ice across our cosmic neighborhood.
