coma
/ˈkoʊ.mə/
Definition
The nebulous, cloud-like envelope of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus of a comet as it approaches the Sun.
Etymology
The word comes from the Greek word 'kome,' meaning 'hair.' It entered English through Latin to describe the 'hairy' appearance of the luminous cloud surrounding a comet's core.
In the news
In this article, the author notes that ʻOumuamua was unusual because it lacked an visible coma or tail, which are typical features of comets. This absence helped fuel scientific debate over whether the object was a natural body or artificial technology.
The Harvard astrophysicist best known for arguing that ʻOumuamua might have been alien technology has now been chosen to lead a new US government science council investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena — the unexplained objects most pe
Read the full article ↗Space Daily