Hi, I am Zig, and I will be your teacher for these next few lessons

First of all, we should start out with the Moons of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Yes…

Uranus has moons.

You know… The things that revolve around planets.

Lets start with Uranus. It has 21 named moons, and 6 unnamed moons.

THAT IS 27 MOONS!!!!!!

But unlike most planets, the moons of Uranus are named from writtings of Pope and Shakespeare.

Here are their names!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Kinda crazy huh? Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

I wonder… Which is the biggest? Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I can tell you that!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Oh, hey Zog. This is Zog, my cousin from Oberon.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Yup.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Now about that biggest moon question.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That would be Titania, at a whopping 789 Km

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Wow… That is pretty big.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero It is really big, compared to most of Uranus’s other moons.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero They range from a measly 5 km, to 789 km.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I live on the second largest moon. Oberon, with a fairly nice 761

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Can you tell us the smallest?

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero That is easy, Trinculo with 5 km, and backing it up in second place is a tie between; 2003U2, 2001U3, 2003U3, and 2002U2 all with 6 km.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Wow.. That is very useful information you gave us there. Thanks.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero No need to mention it Zig. Anything for my cousin.

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero So over all, with 27 moons, I don’t think Uranus will ever get lonely..

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero So alone!!!!!!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero No you arent.. You have us!!!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Yay!!!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Creepy… Talking planets is where I draw the line…

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero I’m leaving…

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero Don’t leave me alone with it!!!

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero

Cordelia Ophelia Bianca Cressida Desdemona Juliet Portia Rosalind 2003U2 Belinda 1986U10 Puck Setebos 2002U2 2003U1 Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon 2001U3 Caliban Stephano Trinculo Sycorax 2003U3 Prospero SO ALONE!!!!!!!

I am warning you… One more talking planet incident and I walk!

*Cough Cough*

Any way….

On to Neptune! Our second planet of the lesson.

Neptune has only 8 moons with names. It has 5 more unnamed moons… But they don’t have names yet… Obviously…

It’s moons are as fallows.

And this time, I know the largest one. Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton! Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Triton is 1350 km large, seconded by Proteus, with a tiny 209 km. Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

As for the smallest.. That one is simple… Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

It is Naiad, with only 29 km, fallowed up by Thalassa with 40 km. Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid Shall we continue on to Pluto’s moon?

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Naiad Thalassa Despina Galatea Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid

Pluto is like Earth… In a way…

Pluto only has 1 moon.

Charon, Pluto’s moon is nearly half Pluto’s size.

That makes Charon the biggest moon in relation to the planet’s size.

Charon has a diameter of 1212km.

It also orbits Pluto at the same rate Pluto rotates, making the faces of Charon and Pluto always facing each other.

That means, that only half of the planet will every be able to see the moon.

Say this line here is where Longitude 0, Latitude 0 is.

Now say that this other line is on the equater, on the opposite side of the planet.

If you lived on the green line, you would always be able to see Charon.

But if you lived on the blue line all your life, you would be lucky to know that Pluto even has a moon.

So, Charon is an odd ball isn’t he?

Now we need to get moving on to our next topic. See you later Pluto!

Wow, Pluto does have a moon.

Now I’m going to let you know about Comets, Asteroids, Meteorites, and a few other things.

First, lets start with comets.

This is a very crude model of a comet.

And there are a couple parts I need to educate you about.

This is the Comet Nucleus, it is the “head” of the comet.

It glows brightly because of sunlight reflecting off of it.

This glowing haze is called the Coma. It surrounds the head.

Comets also sometimes have clouds of hydrogen around them.

Comets have been studied for a long time, and more are found every year.

Most of the Comets can only be seen with a telescope. So lets get out ours.

Wow, even with a telescope that one was hard to see.

Our comets tend to spend most of their time hanging out behind pluto.

But they also mostly have eliptical orbits that bring them close to the sun, where they can be seen.

The solar winds blow particales behind the comet, creating a long tail that will always point away from the sun.

Due to their orbits, many comets take hundreds even thousands of year to get near the sun.

Others come fairly often, such as Encke’s comet, which comes to hang out ever 3.3 years.

The most famous comet, Halley’s comet takes 76 years to orbit.

The nucleus can be described as a dirty snow ball, or snow drift, depending on how much space there is between ice particales.

Comets sure are weird.

Woah!!! Where did they go???

Very scary….

Any way. Lets talk about asteroids.

Asteroids are large planet-like bodies of rock, and other elements.

Most have irregular shapes and sizes. There are two known round ones.

Ceres and Pallas, they are the largest known ones as well. Ceres is 1000 Km across. Most others are only 1 Km across.

They revolve around the sun in the same direction as the planets, and are located in a large belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Some scientists think asteroids were made when the Solar system was, others think they are dead or sleeping comets.

Now that that is gone, I just need to explain Meteoroids.

A meteor is a rock or ice fragment flying through space.

They can be as tiny as a grain of sand, or as huge as a bolulder.

A meteor is the fire ball you see as one of these meteoroids falls through earth’s atmosphere.

The light is cause by friction, and will frequently destroy the meteoroid before it touches down.

Really big balls of light are called Fire Balls.

Speak of the devil.

Every so often, a large group of meteoroids will go over earth, and cause a meteor shower.

5-15 meteors can be seen on a very dark night. It is though that every night, 100 million meteoroids enter the atmosphere.

The vaporized dust adds a few metric tons to earth every day.

Lastly, I will tell you about a Meteorite.

A meteorite is a meteoroid that survived the fall through the atmosphere, and is what is left.

There are three types.

Stones.

Irons.

And Stony-Irons.

93% of all meteorites are stones. They resemble earth’s ingeous rocks and are made up of silicates.

They also can include 10 to 15 percent Iron.

Irons are 85 to 95 percent Iron with the rest being nickle. They weigh up to 30 metric tons, much more than stones, almost 30 times more.

Finally, there are Stony-Irons, which are very rare to find. They are, well, obviously, a combination of both other types.

The most abundant source of meteorites is the Antarctic because the ice preserves them, and when it erodes, reveals the meterorite.

Some appear to be parts of the moon or mars that got knocked off and fired at earth.

Well, my lessons are over, so I must bid you farewell. Good bye, and I hope you enjoyed this time like I have.

But before we part, please enjoy the fallowing websites, for a little asteroid and meteoroid fun. features/97/asteroids/ ndex.html

Science Text Book