Fear of comets (cometophobia)

Cometophobia is a fear of comets. It may show up as worry about a comet hitting the Earth, unease when comets are in the news, or not wanting to look at the night sky. For centuries comets were seen as bad omens, and some of that old dread still lingers.

About this phobia

The word comes from the Greek kometes, meaning long-haired, describing a comet’s tail. It is rarely reported and is found mostly on lists of unusual phobias. It sits close to wider fears about space, meteors and the end of the world.

What it feels like

• Worry that a comet or asteroid could strike the planet
• Unease when news stories mention a comet passing close by
• Avoiding stargazing or documentaries about space

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Could a comet really hit the Earth?

Space agencies track comets and asteroids, and large impacts are extremely rare events over very long timescales. A comet in the news is almost always a chance to see something beautiful rather than a threat. Facts can help, though fear is not always driven by logic.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

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