sign in sign up
<<
Home , Coma (cometary), Comet West

The Anatomy of a The Anatomy of a Comet

nucleus - a frozen nucleus - a frozen tail - two tails tail - two tails chunk of ice, gas, and chunk of ice, gas, and (one , one gas) (one dust, one gas) some dust, usually a some dust, usually a are formed when are formed when few miles across few miles across light and particles light and particles from the blow from the sun blow the in the the coma in the oppositE direction oppositE direction

coma - a thin coma - a thin atmosphere around the nucleus around the nucleus created when ice and gas created when ice and gas in the comet are heated by in the comet are heated by the sun the sun

@pennphys Penn Physics & Astronomy @pennphys Penn Physics & Astronomy

history. history. history. history.

surface - for the first time in in time first the for - surface surface - for the first time in in time first the for - surface

lander named Philae to its its to Philae named lander lander named Philae to its its to Philae named lander

comet’s and deployed a a deployed and orbit comet’s comet’s orbit and deployed a a deployed and orbit comet’s

journey, entered the the entered Rosetta journey, journey, Rosetta entered the the entered Rosetta journey,

2014. After a 10-year 10-year a After 2014. 2014. After a 10-year 10-year a After 2014.

by ESA’s Rosetta mission in in mission Rosetta ESA’s by by ESA’s Rosetta mission in in mission Rosetta ESA’s by

photographed in great detail detail great in photographed photographed in great detail detail great in photographed

was was 67P/CG Comet was was 67P/CG Comet

collected and studied. and collected collected and studied. and collected

debris that was later later was that debris debris that was later later was that debris

resulting collision and the the and collision resulting resulting collision and the the and collision resulting

comet. This photo shows the the shows photo This comet. comet. This photo shows the the shows photo This comet.

2005 and shot a probe at the the at probe a shot and 2005 2005 and shot a probe at the the at probe a shot and 2005

Impact mission flew by in in by flew mission Impact Impact mission flew by in in by flew mission Impact

diameter. NASA’s Deep Deep NASA’s diameter. diameter. NASA’s Deep Deep NASA’s diameter.

is five miles in in miles five is I Tempel is five miles in in miles five is I Tempel

but survived the encounter. the survived but but survived the encounter. the survived but

damaged by Halley’s dust, dust, Halley’s by damaged damaged by Halley’s dust, dust, Halley’s by damaged

and coma. Giotto was was Giotto coma. and and coma. Giotto was was Giotto coma. and

showing the comet’s nucleus nucleus comet’s the showing showing the comet’s nucleus nucleus comet’s the showing

and took this picture picture this took and and took this picture picture this took and

ESA’s Giotto probe flew by by flew probe Giotto ESA’s ESA’s Giotto probe flew by by flew probe Giotto ESA’s

last seen in 1986. That year, year, That 1986. in seen last last seen in 1986. That year, year, That 1986. in seen last

Earth every 75 years. It was was It years. 75 every Earth Earth every 75 years. It was was It years. 75 every Earth

passes by by passes comet Halley’s passes by by passes comet Halley’s

Comets in action! in Comets in action! in Comets What’s the Difference? What’s the Difference? Comets, Meteors, and Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids

Comets are balls of ice and dust that grow Comets are balls of ice and dust that grow tails when they come close to the sun. tails when they come close to the sun. Comets come from the some of the furthest Comets come from the some of the furthest parts of the - the Kuiper Belt parts of the solar system - the Kuiper Belt and . The Kuiper Belt is a ring of and Oort Cloud. The Kuiper Belt is a ring of icy objects that include some objects near icy objects that include some objects near the size of Pluto. The Oort Cloud surrounds the size of Pluto. The Oort Cloud surrounds the solar system and is made up of comets the solar system and is made up of comets that can shoot towards the sun from any that can shoot towards the sun from any Comet West direction. Taken by John Laborde at the direction. Taken by John Laborde at the Tierra Del Sol Observatory Tierra Del Sol Observatory

Meteors, known as “shooting ”, Meteors, known as “shooting stars”, occur when small pieces of dust - occur when small pieces of dust - “meteoroids” - impact the Earth’s “meteoroids” - impact the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up, causing a atmosphere and burn up, causing a short streak of light. If the meteor short streak of light. If the meteor makes its way to the ground, it is makes its way to the ground, it is called a “meteorite.” Sometimes called a “meteorite.” Sometimes Earth passes through the dust trail Earth passes through the dust trail left behind from a comet and many left behind from a comet and many meteors are produced - this is a meteors are produced - this is a Taken during the Taken during the Leonid meteor “shower." Leonid Meteor Shower meteor “shower." By Ed Sweeney By Ed Sweeney

Asteroids are small and rocky Asteroids are small and rocky objects that mostly live in the objects that mostly live in the belt between and between Mars and Jupiter, though some are sprinkled Jupiter, though some are sprinkled throughout the rocky planets near throughout the rocky planets near Earth (watch out!). Some asteroids Earth (watch out!). Some asteroids can be metallic and may contain can be metallic and may contain organic compounds. They come in organic compounds. They come in all sorts of shapes due to collisions Vesta all sorts of shapes due to collisions Vesta with other objects and low gravity. Taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft with other objects and low gravity. Taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft