Astronomers have identified **C/2014 UN271** as the largest comet ever observed in our solar system, making a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of the icy bodies that populate the cosmos. This massive comet, stretching over 85 miles in diameter, is more than ten times the size of any previously known comet, according to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The discovery was made using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope in Chile, which allowed researchers to detect jets of carbon monoxide gas erupting from the comet’s icy core as it travels toward the sun from the Oort Cloud.
The ALMA telescope’s high sensitivity and resolution enabled scientists to focus on the carbon monoxide and heat emissions from the comet, revealing crucial details about its composition and behavior. Using previous ALMA observations and the newest findings, researchers were able to measure the comet’s thermal signal, which provided the size and amount of dust surrounding its core. Nathan Roth of American University and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the lead author of the study, emphasized the significance of the findings in understanding the evolution of this enormous, icy world.