[ASTR 111] Chapter 12 - Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets

Meteor

Flash of light caused when a particle from space burns up in our atmosphere

Meteorite

Rock from space that lands on Earth

Primitive meteorites

Meteorites that formed at the same time as the solar system itself

Processed meteorites

Meteorites once part of a larger object that “processed” the original material of the solar nebula into another form

Nucleus

The solid portion of a comet; the only portion that exists when the comet is far from the Sun

Coma

Dusty atmosphere of a comet created by sublimation of ices in the nucleus when the comet is near the Sun

Plasma tail

One of two tails seen when a comet passes near the Sun, composed of ionized gas blown away from the Sun by the solar wind

Dust tail

One of two tails seen when a comet passes near the Sun, composed of small solid particles pushed away from the Sun by its radiation pressure

Meteor showers

Period when many more meteors than usual can be seen