Comet 41P Stuns Scientists: Nearly Stops, Then Spins Backwards in Space

• Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak surprised astronomers by nearly stopping its rotation and then reversing direction.
• This unprecedented spin reversal was confirmed by new analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images from December 2017.
• The comet's rotation slowed from 20 hours to 46 hours between March and May 2017, before reversing.
• Outgassing, where solar heating causes ice to sublimate into gas, is believed to have caused the uneven torque leading to the spin flip.
• This discovery provides crucial insights into the lifespans of small comets and why fewer are observed than predicted.