2025 is set to be a groundbreaking year for the discovery of dark comets, as the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) prepares to begin operations on July 4, 2025. Following the discovery of seven new solar system dark comets in 2024, the total known population has now reached 14, highlighting a significant increase in our understanding of these elusive celestial bodies.
Dark comets, which lack the visible tails characteristic of traditional comets, still exhibit strong nongravitational accelerations in their trajectories. This unique property was first noted with the interstellar object 'Oumuamua in 2017, leading to various theories about its origin. The recent discoveries indicate that dark comets can be categorized into two distinct types: smaller inner dark comets with close, circular orbits and larger outer dark comets on more distant, elliptical paths.
The LSST, equipped with the largest camera ever built, will scan the southern hemisphere's sky almost every night, significantly enhancing our capability to detect these objects. Its sensitivity is expected to uncover many more dark comets, potentially revealing new types that have remained undetected by previous telescopes.
This surge in dark comet discoveries not only advances our knowledge of the solar system's composition but also raises questions about the origins of water on Earth, as these bodies may have played a role in transporting essential materials across the solar system. As we approach 2025, the anticipation for new findings grows, promising to deepen our understanding of the cosmos.