POD #5 - What do YOU think comets are made of?

POP QUIZ – 2/22/18 Most asteroids orbit the sun in the _________________. What is the name of the dwarf planet that was once an asteroid? It was the largest known asteroid. How are most meteoroids formed? What is the nickname for a meteor? What a meteor called once it strikes the ground? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Comet Part 1 Notes 2/22/18 Key Points: 1. What is a comet? 2. Where do comets come from? 3. How do comets orbit?

1. What is a comet? A. A comet is a small body of ice, rock and cosmic dust loosely packed together. B. Scientists refer to them as dirty snowballs.

2. Where do comets come from? A. It is believed that comets come from the Oort Cloud, a region that surrounds the solar system. B. Comets can also come from the Kuiper Belt, which exists outside of Neptune’s orbit.

3. How do comets orbit? A. Comets orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits.

3. How do comets orbit? B. As the comet gets near the Sun: The velocity (speed) increases The comet is vaporizing The comet is light (visible)

3. How do comets orbit? C. As the comet gets farther from the sun: The comet slows down The comet is dark (invisible), throughout most of its orbit