1. Other Objects in Our
Solar System!

2. Asteroids! Large rock fragments from asteroid belts.
Could be smashed planets or just
leftover dust from the nebula, clumped
together.
We think an asteroid hit Earth, creating
our moon and killing the dinosaurs!

3. Meteoroids! Smaller rock fragments from
asteroid belts, caught in Earth’s gravity,
but still out in space.

4. Meteors! When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere
and show in our sky as shooting stars.
In August, when Earth is
closest to the asteroid
belt, you can see
hundreds of shooting
stars in one night!
This is called a
Meteor Shower.

5. Meteorites! If the meteor doesn’t burn up completely
and part of it hits the ground, this is a
meteorite.
These are made mostly of HEAVY iron
metal, and can be small or large!

6. Meteorites, Meteors, Meteoroids

7. Comets! Chunks of ice and dust from the Oort Cloud.
Basically dirty snowballs!
When they near the sun, start to melt, which
forms the tail of the comet.
Comet = Greek for “long-haired star”

8. Parts of the comet: