Asteroids that speed up unexpectedly may be ‘dark comets’ in disguise

Astronomers say they’ve discovered a category of objects that blurs the road between asteroids and comets, showing to fireside jets of gasoline that may’t be seen with telescopes.

Comets are identified to periodically emit bursts of gasoline and dirt because the solar melts their icy surfaces. These occasions give off as a lot as 10 kilograms of mud per second, which displays daylight and makes the bursts seen, usually contributing to a tail behind the comet. Asteroids, being rockier, don’t produce such bursts. …