Asteroids, Meteors and Comets

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What are comets primarily made of?

Back

Comets are primarily made of ice and rock.

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Where do most comets originate?

Back

Most comets come from the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud beyond Neptune's orbit.

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What is the Oort Cloud?

Back

The Oort Cloud is a theoretical cloud of icy bodies located after Neptune, believed to be the source of long-period comets.

Front

What is the difference between asteroids and comets?

Back

Asteroids are made of metal and rock, while comets are made of ice and rock.

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What is a meteoroid?

Back

A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.

Front

What happens when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere?

Back

When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it burns up and creates a bright streak of light called a meteor.

Front

What is a meteorite?

Back

A meteorite is a meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface.

Front

What is a 'dirty snowball' in astronomy?

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A 'dirty snowball' refers to a comet, which has a nucleus of ice and dust.

Front

What is the difference between meteors and meteorites?

Back

Meteors are the bright streaks of light produced when meteoroids burn up in the atmosphere, while meteorites are the remnants that land on Earth.

Front

What is the size range of meteoroids?

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Meteoroids can vary in size from tiny pebbles to very large rocks.