You spin me right round: Comet 41P's odd rotation stump astronomers

2026-02-12 - 14:15

A rare event was observed as comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresák dramatically slowed its rotation and then spun in the opposite direction. This extreme change in spin, driven by material jets, was captured by Hubble and Swift telescopes. Astronomers believe this process may explain the rarity of smaller comets.