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Speculated Content
Content presented on this page originates from datamined game files, authenticated leaks from official sources, or past developer statements. It has not been officially confirmed to be in development, and may not be implemented. |
A comet is a small astronomical object composed mostly of ice and dust. When passing close to a star, a comet is warmed by the heat and begins to release gases, which can produce a visible atmosphere or coma, as well as a tail. The presence of a coma is what distinguishes a comet from an asteroid, and comets that bleed away all of their volatiles due to frequently passing near a star can cease producing a coma and be reduced to asteroids. It is also believed that whereas asteroids typically form within the warmer inner part of a star system, comets form in the colder outer part further away from any stars. Comets have highly eccentric elliptical orbits, and their orbital periods can vary from a few years to several million years.
Comets are modelled by the Elite Dangerous Stellar Forge, but currently do not have any assets and are consequently invisible to players. Notable systems where players can observe stations orbiting comets include Pareco, where all local stations orbit at least one comet, and Tau Ceti, where the Orbis starport Avogadro Enterprise orbits a comet.