What is Comets and Meteors? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is a Comet?
Comets are chunks of ice, dust, and rock that orbit the Sun. The typical comet has a core several kilometers in diameter. Comets are often referred to as the “dirty snowballs” of the solar system.
Coma and Tail
As a comet approaches the Sun, its ice begins to heat up and turn into gas and plasma. These gases form a large bright hot “head” around the comet known as the “coma”. As the comet accelerates through space, the gas follows the comet forming a tail.
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Due to their commas and tails, comets appear dim as they approach the Sun. This allows astronomers to easily identify comets from other space objects. Some comets can be seen with the naked eye as they pass close to Earth.
Orbit of a Comet
Comets are usually divided into two groups determined by the type of orbit they have.
The first type of comet is the short period comet. Short-period comets have orbits of less than two hundred years. Some have very short orbits of only a few years. These types of comets come from the Kuiper belt.
The Kuiper Belt
The Kuiper Belt is an area of the solar system that lies outside the planets and orbits of Neptune. It is much larger than the asteroid belt. The Kuiper Belt contains millions of icy objects, including larger ones like the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris.
The Oort Cloud
In addition to the Kuiper Belt, scientists believe there is another collection of billions of comets called the Oort Clouds. This is where long-orbit comets originate. The outer boundary of the Oort cloud defines the outer boundary of the solar system.
What are Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites?
A meteorite is a small piece of rock or metal broken off from a comet or asteroid. Meteorites can form from colliding asteroids or from debris from comets that pass by the Sun.
Meteorites are meteors that are pulled into Earth’s atmosphere by Earth’s gravity. When a meteor hits the atmosphere, it heats up and ignites, forming a bright trail known as a “meteor” or “meteor”. If several meteors appear at the same time and near the same location in the sky, it is called a meteor shower. A meteorite is a meteorite that does not burn up completely and falls to the ground.
Interesting Facts about Comets and Meteors
The Oort Cloud is located about a light-year from the Sun.
One of the most famous comets is Halley’s Comet. Comet Halley has a 76-year orbit and is visible from Earth as it passes.
In ancient times, it was believed that passing by a comet was an omen of bad luck.
Eventually the ice will burn from a comet and it will just be a metallic rock with no commas or tails. These comets are thought to be “extinct”.
Millions of meteorites enter the Earth’s atmosphere every day. Most of them are about the size of a pebble.