Small Bodies In The Universe Asteroids, Comets and Meteors

Asteroids asteroid – a small, rocky body that revolves around the sun asteroid belt – the region of the solar system most asteroids occupy; roughly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

Most of the asteroids have been named

Comets comet – a small body of ice and rock that gives off gas and dust in the form of a tail as it passes close to the sun; “dirty snowballs” Comets form in the outer regions past Pluto The tail is only visible near the sun and is due to the sun starting to melt the comet. Because of solar winds, the tail of a comet always faces away from the sun!!!

The tail of comet always faces away from the sun. This is due to solar wind.

Comet SOHO In The Constellation Orion

Comet Hyakutake over Arizona, 1996

Meteoroids meteoroid – a very small, rocky body that revolves around the sun and could potentially enter our atmosphere (In space) meteor – a streak of light caused when a meteoroid or comet dust burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere before it reaches the ground (If it burns up in our atmosphere) meteorite – a meteoroid that reaches the Earth’s surface without burning up completely (If it hits the ground)

Barringer Meteor (actually meteorite) Crater, Arizona

Geology.com Look here for more crater information Look here for more crater information