Dr. Gregory Brown, senior public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, described the comet as originating from the Oort cloud, which contains remnants from the solar system's formation, nudged inward every so often towards the sun, resulting in extremely long orbits that may take thousands of years. The last time Comet C/2023 A3 approached the inner solar system was approximately 80,000 years ago, emphasizing its rarity and the significance of its visibility now.
Comets can often be seen as spectacular fireballs across the night sky, but Dr. Brown pointed out their composition, noting they are sometimes dubbed 'dirty snowballs.' This term is derived from the significant amounts of ice they have. As comets approach the sun, they thaw out, which leads to the release of gas and dust trapped within their ice, forming a misty cloud and creating the visual effect of a tail.
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