Comets, asteroids, and meteors oh

Warm Up – Page 202

• Copy today’s date and EQ on page 203. Then answer on the EQ on page 202.

Comets

• Definition: chunks of ice and dust that usually has a long, narrow elliptical orbit

• Comet means long haired star

Comets probably come from two areas of the Solar System:

1. The Kuiper belt – found just outside the orbit of Neptune. (home of short period comets) like Halley’s Comet.

2.The Oort Cloud found outside Pluto’s orbit. (Home of long period comets)

1 AU= about 93 million miles

http://www.solarviews.com/cap/comet/kuiper3.htm

NASA

NASA

Comet animation

NASA

Comet

• 3 parts:– Nucleus

– Coma

– Tail: always points away from sun

Nucleus and coma make up the head .

Comet

Famous Comets

Hale- Bopp

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Comet Hyakutake

1996

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Asteroids

• Definition: objects that are too small and numerous to be considered planets

• Very rocky

Asteroid Belt

The region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, where many asteroids are found.

Asteroids…

More Asteroid Belt…

NASA

Movie of close-up

NASA

Meteors

• 3 types:

• Meteor: a streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth’s atmosphere

• Meteoroid: a chunk of rock or dust in space

• Meteorite: a meteoroid that has hit Earth’s surface

NASA

http://www.mnh.si.edu/

Meteorite crater in Canada

One of the best places to look for meteorites is Antarctica!

NASA

NASA

NASA

NASA

Meteors…

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