Comets

The Inner Planets  The Outer Planets  The Sun  The Moon  Meteoroids  The Asteroid Belt Comets  The Constellations  The Stars Solar System Games  Return to Homepage

What is a comet?

 Comets are a mixture of ice which is made up of water and frozen gases and dust. The dust comes from when the Solar System formed. Comets are invisible and not seen unless they are near the Sun. Comets have orbits that go far beyond Pluto's orbit. Only some comets stay within Pluto's orbit for most of there lifetime.

How does a comet's tail form?

A comets tail forms because of solar wind from the Sun. The tail can be as long as 250 million kilometers long.

What are the parts of a comet? A comet has four parts:

1. the nucleus

2. the coma

3. the ion tail

4. the dust tail

The Nucleus: The part of a comet which contains  the frozen  head and contains most of the mass; it is made of ice, gas and dust.

The Coma: The coma is the part of the comet which is the gas surrounding the comet; it is made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide gas, ammonia, dust and other gases.

The Ion Tail: A tail made from gases called ion's and is always facing away from the Sun because of the solar wind; the tail can be over 100 million kilometers long.

The Dust Tail: A tail composed of microscopic dust that is swayed but the Sun's photons; the tail can be over 100 million kilometers long. That is also where most of the hydrogen is stored.

Sources:

    http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/comets/

    http://www.usask.ca/geology/classes/geol109and122/109_122_A/HalleyComet_nucleus.jpg

Images from:

    http://physicsquest.homestead.com/files/comets.gif

    http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/astropho/lynnc/hb-a.jpg