Source: NASA
Asteroids and comets are objects in space that are made of left over materials from when the solar system was created. Asteroids are made of rock and metal, and comets are made of rock, dust, and frozen gas.
Asteroids orbit the sun, and most are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The largest known asteroid is 329 miles in diameter, and the smallest is about 33 feet in diameter. Although there are millions of asteroids, if they were all squished together, they would still be smaller than Earth's moon.
Asteroids are fascinating objects, and NASA has launched several spacecraft over the last several decades to explore asteroids. The newest spacecraft is called Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor, and it is expected to be launched in 2028. NEO Surveyor is a space telescope whose purpose will be to hunt asteroids and comets that may pose a risk to Earth.
Unlike asteroids, comets change shape and size as they orbit the sun. Comets are primarily found in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud beyond the eight planets. When they pass closer to the sun in their orbits, they heat up, creating a giant glowing head and a tail of gas and dust.
The Kuiper Belt is a donut-shaped region beyond Neptune that is home to most of the dwarf planets as well as many comets. Extending beyond the Kuiper Belt is the Oort Cloud, a chaotic world of icy bodies that encapsulates the solar system like a bubble and is also believed to be home to billions or trillions of comets.
Sources: NASA Kuiper Belt, NASA Oort Cloud
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An introduction to asteroids, meteors, and comets featuring color photos and illustrations. Describes how the world's people have studied these phenomena throughout history. Includes a list of quick facts and resources for further study.
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When one science fiction author called the asteroids "ten thousand fleas on the dead dog of night," he was only reflecting the disregard astronomers once had for these mysterious objects-most of which were considered little more than nuisances. Today, astronomers have a whole new respect for asteroids, comets, and meteors. The collision of an asteroid with Earth may have spelled the end of the dinosaurs-and a future collision may end life as we know it on our planet. Likewise, the icy mounds called comets are not just rare, graceful apparitions in the night sky, they are among the most interesting objects in the solar system, perhaps holding clues to the origin of the solar system itself. This book explores these little-known but fascinating denizens of outer space. Book jacket.
Asteroids, Meteors, Meteorites, and Comets by
This fascinating text is a perfect companion for any student interested in a more authoritative source on the subject of asteroids, meteors, meteorites, and comets. Readers will learn, following the Next Generation Science Standards in the area of the Earth and the solar system, the scientific differences between these four celestial objects. They'll also study their features, compositions, characteristics, classifications, and history of their observation. This book is perfect for the student doing a report on the subject or one who is curious about the space sciences and would like detailed information instead of a general overview.
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