Slightly out of date, but nevertheless interesting as it emphasises the Majesty and Glory of God’s handy work – the heavens. Don’t forget to subscribe to Creation magazine and receive these daily updates at no extra charge! Subscribe at this link:

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To read the authors biography just click on her name.

Gibber! Gibber!

Chugley

The next great comet

Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas and the age of the solar system

by Donna Mullenax

Short-period comets (period less than 200 years) are estimated to last no more than 10,000 years. Therefore, since we still have such comets, on the face of it, the solar system is less than 10,000 years old.

Were you able to view Halley’s Comet in 1986? Or Comet Hyakutake (1996)? Comet Hale–Bopp (1997)? Comet McNaught (2007)? If not, you may be in for a treat. Many sources are already heralding the ‘comet of the decade’.¹

Initially labelled Comet C/2023 A3, it was first observed on 9 January 2023 by China’s Purple Mountain Observatory (Nanjing). Unfortunately, there was no other observation for confirmation. On 22 February, ATLAS² in South Africa posted their observation, with several confirmations days later. To recognize both groups, the International Astronomical Union named it Comet Tsuchinshan³–ATLAS (T–A). Comets are often given names of their discoverers, such as Comets Hale-Bopp, Wild, and Grigg–Skjellerup.⁴

Over coming months, much will be predicted, observed, and measured regarding this comet, which has an orbit very inclined to the ecliptic (the plane in which the planets orbit). Its closest approach to the earth is anticipated [at time of writing] around 12 October 2024, just a couple of weeks after making its closest approach to the sun. It will likely be one of the brightest objects in the night sky.

Some are not sure if the comet will survive its pass around the sun. Comets have been known to crash into the sun.⁵ Much is yet to be learned about Comet T–A. Current estimates of its period (the theoretical time it would take to complete one full orbit) vary, but are in the thousands of years, so it is one of the long-period comets (those with a period of more than 200 years).

Scientists and the media are already using Comet T–A to support their old-age evolution-based worldview. For example, the first article cited here referred to its “likely first visit in 4.5 billion years.”¹

Comets contradict long ages

The 4.5 billion years is when the solar system supposedly formed, along with all its comets. However, this age is contradicted by the facts about the limited lifespan of comets. Each time they pass the sun, these ‘dirty snowballs’ lose some of their ice and dust. Short-period comets (period less than 200 years) are estimated to last no more than 10,000 years. Therefore, since we still have such comets, on the face of it, the solar system is less than 10,000 years old.

Long-period comets also have a limited lifespan, but don’t pass by the sun as often. So their theoretical lifespan could be up to millions of years—still far short of the 4.5 billion years required. Long-period comets should have all vanished long ago.⁶Comets continue to be a witness to our omnipotent and omnipresent Lord and a young solar system.

A way around this problem for long ages was needed. In 1950, astronomer Jan Oort proposed a vast cloud of comets surrounding the solar system. A comet would only begin its journey to destruction once the occasional passing star knocked it out of this cometary ‘deep freeze’ into an inner solar system orbit. This supposedly explains why we still have comets.^7,8

The Oort Cloud is considered to be the source of most if not all long-period comets, including Comet T–A.^6,7 To this day, however, there is no physical or observational evidence for the Oort Cloud!

Short-period comets are nowadays regarded as coming from a second postulated source of comets, supposedly orbiting the sun in a flattened band beyond Neptune, at about 55 astronomical units (AU). This is called the Kuiper Belt, after the astronomer who proposed it in 1951. Pluto orbits within that region. (Another proposed comet source is the Scattered Disk, about 55–200 AU.) The comets from both sources would again be far enough out to escape destruction, but unlike the Oort Cloud, close enough to be potentially detectable. However, the Kuiper Belt and Scattered Disk objects discovered so far have been a big disappointment to evolutionists; most are too big, and there are far too few comet-sized ones for the theory.^5,9

Comets continue to be a witness to our omnipotent and omnipresent Lord and a young solar system.

Posted on homepage: 13 November 2024

References and notes

1. Oberholtz, C., ‘Comet of a Decade’ to whiz past earth in likely first visit in 4.5 billion years, foxweather.com, 11 Mar 2023. Return to text.
2. Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, a NASA-funded robotic astronomical survey and early warning system for near-earth objects. It currently involves two telescopes in Hawaii, one in Chile, and