SCIENCE LESSON 3 (COMETS)

Is a small celestial object that orbits the Sun

Comet

The comet is composed of

• Water ice

• Carbon dioxide ice

• Ammonia

• Methane

• Dust

• Rocks

It is composed of

• Water ice

• Carbon dioxide ice

• Methane

• Dust

• Rocks

Comet

Parts of a Comet

• Nucleus

• Coma

• Dust Tail

• Ion tail

Is the solid central part of a comet

Nucleus

Is a large cloud of gas and dust surrounding the nucleus

Coma

Is composed of tiny dust particles released from the comet

Dust Tail

Is composed of charge gases called ions

Ion Tail

Where do comets come from

• Kuiper Belt

• Oart Cloud

Most comments originate from two distant regions of the Solar System

• Kuiper Belt

• Oart Cloud

Is a large region of icy objects located beyond Neptune

Kuiper Belt

Is a vast spherical cloud of icy objects surrounding the solar system

Oart Cloud

Most of the comet originate from the

Outer regions of the Solar System

When a comet approaches the sun

It becomes brighter and may develop one or more tales

Why are comets called “dirty snowballs”;?

Because they contain frozen ice mixed with dust and rocky materials

As the comet approaches the sun

• The ice heats up

• The ice changes into gas

• Gas and dust are released

• A glowing cloud and tail from around the cornet

Characteristics

• Made of ice, dust, and rocks

• Usually only a few kilometer wide

• Contain most of the comet mass

• Often called the “heart of a comment”

Nucleus

Made of ice, dust, and rocks

Nucleus

Usually only a few kilometer wide

Nucleus

Contain most of the comet mass

Nucleus

Often called the “heart of a comment”

Nucleus

Is the source of the coma and both tails when heated by the Sun

Nucleus

It is formed when

• The Sun heat the comet

• Ice changes directly into gas

• Escaping gas and dust surround the nucleus

Coma

Characteristics

• Thousands of kilometer wide

• Gives the comment a fuzzy appearance

• Made of gas, dust, and water vapor

Coma

Thousands of kilometer wide

Coma

Gives the comment a fuzzy appearance

Coma

Made of gas, dust, and water vapor

Coma

Characteristics

• Reflect sunlight

• Appears white or yellowish

• Usually curved

• Can extend million of kilometers into space

Dust Tail

Reflect sunlight

Dust Tail

Appears white or yellowish

Dust Tail

Usually curved

Dust Tail

Can extend million of kilometers into space

Dust Tail

Glows because it reflect the sunlight

Dust Tail

It glows because it reflect the sunlight

Dust Tail

Characteristics

• Usually blue

• Forms when solar radiation energizes gases

• Long and Narrow

• Always point away from the Sun because of the solar wind

Ion Tail

Usually blue

Ion Tail

Forms when solar radiation energizes gases

Ion Tail

Long and Narrow

Ion Tail

Always point away from the Sun because of the solar wind

Ion Tail

This regions contain billion of icy objects that are considered leftovers from the formation of the Solar System

• Kuiper Belt

• Oart Cloud

Characteristics

• About 30-55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun

• Contains many icy bodies and dwarf planets

• Source of most short period comets

• Has a wide disk shape

Kuiper Belt

About 30-55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun

Kuiper Belt

Contains many icy bodies and dwarf planets

Kuiper Belt

Source of most short period comets

Kuiper Belt

Has a wide disk shape

Kuiper Belt

Example of Kuiper Belt

• Pluto

• Haumea

• Makemake

Characteristics

• Extremely far from the Sun

• Contains trillions of icy bodies

• Source of most long period comets

• Has never been directly observed

Oart Cloud

Extremely far from the Sun

Oart Cloud

Contains trillions of icy bodies

Oart Cloud

Source of most long period comets

Oart Cloud

Has never been directly observed

Oart Cloud

Examples of Oart Cloud

• Hale-Bopp

• Hyakutake

• NEOWISE

• West

Examples of comets believed to originate from the Oarth Cloud

• Hale-Bopp

• Hyakutake

• NEOWISE

• West

• Hale-Bopp

• Hyakutake

• NEOWISE

• West

Examples of Oart Cloud

Types of Comets

• Short Period Comets

• Long-Period Comets

Characteristics

• Orbit the Sun in less than 200 years

• Return regularly

• Easier to predict

• Usually from the Kuiper Belt

Short-Period Comets

Orbit the Sun in less than 200 years

Short-Period Comets

Return regularly

Short-Period Comets

Easier to predict

Short-Period Comets

Usually from the Kuiper Belt

Short-Period Comets

Ex.

• Halley's Comet

Short-Period Comets

Examples of Short-Period Comets

Halley's Comet

Characteristics

• Return approximately every 76 years

• Last appeared in 1986

• Expected to return in 2061

Halley's Comet

Return approximately every 76 years

Halley's Comet

Last appeared in 1986

Halley's Comet

Expected to return in 2061

Halley's Comet

Characteristics

• Orbit the Sun in more than 200 years

• Originate from the Oarth Cloud

• Travel very long distance

• May appear only once in a lifetime

Long-Period Comets

Orbit the Sun in more than 200 years

Long-Period Comets

Travel very long distance

Long-Period Comets

May appear only once in a lifetime

Long-Period Comets

Originate from the Oarth Cloud

Long-Period Comets

Ex.

• Hale-Bopp

• Hyakutake

• West

Long-Period Comets

Examples of Long-Period Comets

• Hale-Bopp

• Hyakutake

• West

Are ancient objects from the early solar system

Comets

Preserve materials that formed billion of years ago

Comets

Help explain how the solar system formed

Comets

Help explain how the solar system formed

Comets

They act as time capsules from the early Solar System

Comets

Change very little overtime

Comets

Why is the comet act as time capsules

Because comets have changed very little over time