Comets

In the past, because comets look fuzzy, they've been called _________________.

"hairy stars"

Short period comets are defined as comets with an orbital period less than __________________________.

200 years

In the detailed photos of Comet Halley, what percentage of light was reflected from the nucleus?

4%

On the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman invasion in the year 1066, which comet is shown?

Comet Halley

Which comet was seen by Phil Plait, in 2007, very near the Sun in broad daylight?

Comet McNaught

Which king, in 1066, considered the sighting of a comet as a good omen?

King William I

In 2004, what complex molecules were detected in the coma of comet Wild 2?

amino acids

The "ion tail", produced by the solar wind acting on ionized gas, points _____________________.

away from the sun

The dust stream from a comet points __________________________.

behind the comet in its orbit

What is the gaseous cloud around a comet called?

coma

Comets, being composed of frozen gases, rocks, gravel, and dust, are often called ________________________.

dirty snowballs

Unlike asteroids, which are mostly rock, comets are a more balanced mixture of _______________________.

ice and rock

Which word best describes the surface of comets?

inhomogeneous

When gas molecules emitted by a comet lose electrons, they are said to be ____________________________.

ionized

The solid part of a comet is called the __________________.

nucleus

Comets that take a path directly into the sun are called _________________.

sundivers

As comets progress through their elliptical orbits, they are heated mostly by ________________________________.

the sun