Meteoroid Trails Offer Early Warning for Hazardous Comets

Astronomers have developed a new technique to detect potentially hazardous long-period comets (LPCs) years in advance by analyzing meteoroid trails left by these comets. This method, which tracks the paths of meteoroid streams, could provide critical lead time for planetary defense by identifying dangerous comets while they are still far from Earth. The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) at the Vera Rubin Observatory will enhance this technique by capturing detailed images of meteoroid trails, improving the ability to track LPCs and offering years of advance notice for potential threats.