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This undated photo captured by the Hubble Space Telescope and made available by NASA on Thursday, March 28, 2019 shows the asteroid (6478) Gault that is gradually self-destructing. It is spinning so fast, dusty material ejected from the surface has has formed two long, thin, comet-like tails. The longer tail stretches more than 500,000 miles (800,000 kilometers) and is roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) wide. The shorter tail is about a quarter as long. The streamers will eventually disperse into space. (NASA/ESA/K. Meech, J. Kleyna - University of Hawaii/O. Hainaut - European Southern Observatory via AP)

Solar probe to pass through comet's tail for 'bonus science'

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BERLIN (AP) — The European Space Agency says its Solar Orbiter will unexpectedly pass through the tail of a comet in the coming days.

Scientists plan to switch on the probe's instruments early to conduct some "bonus science." Solar Orbiter was launched in February on a mission to capture the first pictures of the sun's elusive poles.

ESA said similar chance flybys through a comet's tail have only been recorded six times previously and only after the event had taken place. The agency's director of science, Guenther Hasinger, said the unexpected encounter "provides a mission with unique opportunities and challenges, but that's good."