New Main-Belt Comet Discovered by Planetary Scientists
Planetary scientists have confirmed the discovery of a new main-belt comet, 456P/PANSTARRS, located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This comet, identified by Henry Hsieh and colleagues, exhibits repeated activity due to ice vaporization, distinguishing it from asteroids that show activity from other causes. Main-belt comets are rare, and their study helps scientists understand the distribution of ice in the solar system.