Comets & Asteroids

Coma

A cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus of a comet.

Asteroid

A large rock that orbits the Sun.

Meteorite

A meteor that strikes the surface of the Earth.

Meteor

A meteoroid that strikes the atmosphere.

Kuiper Belt

A region beyond the orbit of Neptune where comets reside.

Meteoroids

A rocky debris that is smaller than an asteroid.

Oort Cloud

A spherical cloud of small rocky and icy bodies are, this includes Comets.

Tail

Formed by the dust and ions coming off of the head. They can be as long as from Venus to Earth.

Why do asteroids burn up in the Earth's atmosphere?

Heat is made by friction between the asteroid and the atmosphere.

Comet

Large frozen mass of gas, dust, and rock.

How many do asteroids exist?

More than 1 Billion.

Difference between Comet and Shooting Star

Shooting Stars burn up in Earth's atmosphere while Comets don't.

The Main Asteroid Belt

The residence where asteroids mostly are, between Mars and Jupiter.

Nucleus

The solid portion of a comet.

Why study asteroids?

To better understand the origins of the solar system.

How old are Comets?

Younger than the Sun, and the same age as the planets.