Comet Collides With Solar Hurricane

Since this is actually my first blog in astronomy (or ever) I was just searching for an article that caught my attention. So here it goes!

This article described the effects of phenomenon that was the result of a coronal mass ejection where a large cloud of magnetized gas was cast into space by the sun. Coronal mass ejections are violent eruptions with masses that are greater than a few billion tons. They can travel at high speeds that range from 60 miles per second to upwards of more than 2,000 miles per second. These ejections were compared to hurricanes because of the damage it can cause.

The end result was the detachment of plasma tail of Encke's comet; with still pictures to for jaw dropping proof. It is said that this was the reaction to oppositely directed magnetic fields around the comet that were crunched together by the magnetic fields in this coronal mass ejection.

To read more about this phenomenon: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071001145018.htm