1. Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids Oh My!!
Terms:
Comet
Coma
Nucleus
Tail
Meteor
Meteoroid
Meteorite
Asteroid

2. Describe the characteristics of comets,
S6E1.f
Describe the characteristics of comets,
asteroids, and meteors

3. In the distant parts of our solar system, comets are dust covered balls made of ice and rock
These dust covered balls of ice and rock are called a nucleus
Something disturbs the comets and sends them streaking toward the sun!

4. As the nucleus passes the orbit of Jupiter, it begins to heat up.
Some of the ice inside the nucleus turns to glowing gas
The gasses spread out from the nucleus to form an atmosphere around the nucleus called a coma
Together, the coma and the nucleus form the head of the comet

5. As the comet approaches the sun, energy from the sun blows parts of the coma away from the nucleus…..
<Show Them>
These parts stream away from the head of the comet to form a shimmering tail
A comets tail ALWAYS points away from the sun

6. Nucleus
Tail
Coma
Head

7. Some comets plunge into the sun, and others orbit around the sun one or more times
The most famous returning comet is Halley’s Comet, which comes back approximately every 76 years
Can you see where the nucleus, coma, and tail are?
Judging from this picture, where is the sun?

8. Asteroids
Asteroids are chunks of rock and metal, much smaller than Earth’s moon

9. Asteroids orbit the sun like planets
Most asteroids are found in a belt between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter
The largest known asteroid is Ceres (940 km in diameter)
Most asteroids are less than 1 km in diameter

10. Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites
Between 1,000 and 10,000 tons of space rock fall to Earth each day…… when it is in space these rocks are called meteoroids
Meteoroids are made of
rocky materials, and metal

11. When a meteoroid plunges into Earth’s atmosphere it is known as a meteor
In Earth’s atmosphere, the meteor can get so hot that some or all of it burns up.
The burning meteor
appears as a streak of light ……
A Shooting Star

12. When a meteoroid hits Earth’s surface it is known as a meteorite
If a meteor does not completely burn up in our atmosphere, it will hit Earth’s surface.
When a meteoroid hits Earth’s surface it is known as a meteorite
Worlds largest meteorite Hoba, found in Namibia

13. Draw the sequence that a meteoroid goes
through……….

14. Quick Check In which direction does a comets tail always face?
In the direction of the sun
Away from the sun
Perpendicular to the sun
All different directions

15. Quick Check What is a comets coma?
The stony and icy center of the head
A chunk of iron
A stream of gas at its back
The atmosphere around its nucleus

16. Quick Check Where are most asteroids found? All over our solar system
In orbit between Mars and Jupiter
Near Earth
Outside of the solar system

17. Quick Check
What is the sequence that describes a space rock that falls to Earth’s surface?
meteoroid, meteor, meteorite
Meteor, meteoroid, meteorite
Meteorite, meteor, meteoroid
Meteor, meteorite, meteoroid