Let’s stay current with Planetary Science Journal (all articles 2026, vol. 7):
Fraser Gillan, A. Fitzsimmons, A. Chandler, C. O. et al. On the Border: Searching for Cometary Activity near the Centaur-JFC Transition Line 3 ae2c7f
Deshapriya, J. D. P. Hasselmann, P. H. Gai, I. et al. 3D Reconstruction of DART Ejecta at Dimorphos Reveals an Anisotropic, Filamentary Structure 4 ae2c64
Onuma, H. Matsumoto, M. Nakamura, T. et al. Surface Modifications of a Space-weathered Ryugu Sample and the Reflectance Spectral Response 11 ae2b68
Rodriguez Rodriguez, J. Díez Alonso, E. Álvarez, S. I. et al. Spin Parameters and Shape Models of Near-Earth Asteroids (4660) Nereus, (21088) Chelyabinsk, (66146) 1998 TU3, and (29741… 15 ae2d11
Zhang, Q. Ye, Q. Battams, K. et al. Covertly Active Comet (139359) 2001 ME1 31 ae31ef
de Kleer, K. Ehlmann, B. L. Jacobson, S. A. et al. The Surface Mineralogy of the Spinel-rich Asteroids from Mid-infrared Spectroscopy with JWST 36 ae374e
Giang Nguyen, T. et al. The Relative Cold-trapping Likelihood of Water on Airless Rocky Bodies 38 ae3946
Centaurs: not really comets, but maybe… how would we even know? Centaurs are bodies that never get near the Sun, so no water coma and tail would ever form. However, supervolatiles like CO2 and nitriles might get up to their critical temperatures. Fraser Gillan et al. have observations.
In that same vein, Zhang et al. have found a “comet” (barely any coma and tail at all).
We have one asteroid deflection test, DART (no, Deep Impact was not a planetary defense mission). Thus we wring every last bit out of it. Deshapriya et al., pending the arrival of Hera, try to study the test effects on Dimorphos. In an actual PHO deflection attempt, we might not get a Hera follow-on.
Surfaces of asteroids are all we see; do we see what we think we see, or are we just seeing a space-weathered “rind”? This has haunted us since before Itokawa. Onuma et al. continue the work, using precious grains from Ryugu (a different type of asteroid than Itokawa).
In that same vein, de Kleer et al. think they have a line on asteroid typing and compositions using new data. Mid-infrared spectra are hard to get… unless you have JWST time.
Of course, before we can deflect (or mine) an asteroid, we would want as much info as possible to prevent any nasty surprises. Rodriguez Rodriguez et al. give us some follow-up info on asteroids, including one (Nereus) that was the original target of Hayabusa. Follow-ups are sorely needed.
And finally, asteroids as well as comets contain water. Yes, asteroid water. Multiple mechanisms can emplace water on airless bodies, in addition to surviving primordial water. Giang Nguyen et al. try to simulate those mechanisms for various sizes of small bodies.