ASTEROID, COMETS, METEORS

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 Other than the sun,
planets, and moon, what
other objects are found in
the Solar System?
 In this lesson, we are
going to be comparing
comets, meteors, and
asteroids which are found
in the Solar System.
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 Essential Question:
What is the difference between
a comet, meteor,
and asteroid?
 Comets
• Comets are composed
of dust and rock mixed
with frozen water,
methane, and
ammonia
• Comets are considered
to be like a large, dirty
snowball
• Comets are originated from
the OORT CLOUD which is
beyond the solar system is
called LONG PERIOD
COMET.
• Comets originated from
KUIPER BELT is called
SHORT PERIOD COMET
 Comets
Comets travel around the
sun in elliptical orbits
 Comets
• When a comet nears the sun,
some of it melts and forms a long
tail called coma (gases in the
comet are vaporized by the sun)
• When a comet moves farther
away from the sun, the tail
disappears
Parts of Comets
After a comet has passed close to
the Sun many times, it breaks
apart. The small pieces from the
comet spread out.

These pieces of dust and rock,

along with those coming from
other sources, are called
Meteoroids.
 You may have noticed that in
the last slide we used the term
Meteoroids to describe objects
in the sky, but your essential
question and the standard say
Meteor.

What’s the difference?

METEOR
Meteoroid, Meteor,
Meteorite?
The difference is just based on
where the rock is located when
you are describing it.
 Meteoroid is a “space
rock” that is still in
space

Meteor is a
meteoroid that burns
up in the earth’s
atmosphere
(Shooting Star) Meteorite is a
meteoroid that hits
the earth’s surface
A Meteor is considered harmless
even though it can be viewed
from earth at times.
 A celestial bodies that burns
up in the earth atmosphere?

A meteoroid B asteroid
C meteor D comets
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Asteroids
 Asteroid
• A piece of rock similar to the
material formed into planets.
• An Asteroid is smaller than a
planet but larger than a
meteoroid.
 Asteroid
• Located in an area between
the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter called the Asteroid
Belt.
• Why are they located there?
• The gravity of Jupiter.
 Asteroid Belt
• This belt is theorized by
scientists to be remnants of
a planet that did not
completely form. The orbit of
an asteroid is more rounded
and elliptical than the orbit of
a comet.
One of the biggest Asteroid is
CERES – it is about 592
miles (952km) across.
Asteroids are the leftover
rocks from the time when
planets were first formed.
In February 2013, Asteroid 2012
DA14 made a very close approach
to Earth as it orbited the sun. It is
the closest that any asteroid has
ever been to Earth. In December
2012, during the midst of the
doomsday prophecies, Asteroid
Toutatis also made a near
approach to Earth but not as close
as Asteroid 2012 DA14.
CRATER
 Table 1: Comparison of a comet and an asteroid

Characteri Com Asteroi

stic et d

Oort cloud
Main
Origin and Kuiper
Asteroid Belt
Belt

Varied/ Varied/
Shape
Irregular Irregular
Size 1-10 (nucleus only) 1- 100
range
diameter
Chemical Ice (frozen water);frozen Silicates,
compositi gases (ammonia, methane iron, nickel
on and carbon dioxide); other
organic compounds

Orbit Highly elliptical More

rounded

Orbital period 75 – 100,000 plus 1-100

(years)
COMETS ASTEROIDS METEORS
Made of Made of Made of rock
ice-have rock and and metal
tails metal
Stay in Stay in Fall into Earth’s
space space atmosphere
Orbit the Orbit the Gravity pulls to
sun sun Earth; they
burn up as they
fall.
Let’s play a game

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1. When an object strikes a surface of a
planet, they leave a deep impression on
the surface called ______?

A Canyon B pothole

C plateau D Crater
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 2. Where can we find asteroids
in our solar system?

Just outside the In between Mars

A solar system B and Jupiter
In between the Just beside the
C Sun and the Earth D pluto
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 3. Which description below best
defines what a comet is?

Smallest dwarf Shooting star

A planets B that emits light
Icy objects in the Rocky fragments
C space D of dust
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 4. The following choices below are
characteristics of an asteroid
EXCEPT;

Found in the Has varied and

A Kuiper belt B irregular shape
It orbits around Composed of
C the sun D rocky fragments
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 5. Asteroids could have
developed into planets if it weren’t
for Jupiter.

A True B False

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 Between planet Mars and Jupiter,
there is an ______. This has many
rocks that are travelling in orbit around
the sun.

A Asteroid belt B Comet

C Kuiper belt D Pluto

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 Activities

• Triple Venn Diagram or

Triple Comparison
Organizer