Section 3-5 Comets, Asteroids and Meteors

Objectives J Describe the characteristics of comets. J Identify where most asteroids are found. J Explain what meteoroids are and how they form.

Comets Comets are loose collections of ice, dust, and rocks whose orbits are usually very eccentric, long, narrow ellipses. Objective J.3.5.1

A Comet’s Head The head of the comet consists of the nucleus and the coma. The nucleus is the solid chunk that is revolving around the Sun. The coma is the cloud od dust and ice that forms around the nucleus.

Evolution Of A Comet

The Comet’s Tail The comet’s tail is the debris being blown off the nucleus by solar wind as the comet approached the Sun. What always pushes the tail away from the Sun. Solar Wind

Comet McNaught In 2007

Comet Lovejoy In 2014 Comet Lovejoy is fading now as it has made it’s way around the Sun and is heading out into the Solar System again. What is the twisting feature beneath it? The Great Wall of China

A Comet’s Tail A comet’s tail usually splits into a gas tail and a dust tail. The gas tail will be more influenced by solar wind and point more away from the sun while the dust tail will be behind the nucleus.

The Origin Of Comets The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud

The Asteroid Belt The asteroid belt is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Most asteroids orbit the Sun in this belt. Objective J

Asteroids

Meteroroids Meteoroids are chunks of rock or ice that have broken off of comets or asteroids and continue to orbit in the solar system. Objective J.3.5.3

Meteors When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere it becomes a meteor. They appear as a streak of light across the sky. Objective J You might call it a “shooting star” but it’s not a star at all.

Meteorites Fortunately, most meteors burn up in the atmosphere before they ever hit the ground. If the meteor strikes the ground, it’s name changes to meteorite. This is a name change only.

The Hoba Meteorite The Hoba Meteorite is the largest known meteorite on Earth as well as the largest piece of natural iron on Earth. It’s so massive it has never been moved from where it was discovered.

Meteor Crater In Arizona

Shoemaker-Levy 9