Asteroids, Meteors, & Comets

Which of the following is an asteroid?

• A shooting star

• A big chunk of space rock

• A small comet

• A small meteor

Which of the following has an icy core?

• An asteroid

• The Earth

• The Moon

• A comet

Which of the following statements is true?

• Asteroids can be seen by the human eye.

• A coma is the trail a meteor leaves behind.

• The orbits of most comets are oval-shaped.

• Meteors appear only every few months.

How often does Halley's Comet return?

• 76 years

• 25 years

• 50 years

• 2 years

Which of the following statements is not true?

• Most comets get brighter as they get near the Sun.

• The comet with the shortest period is Encke's comet.

• Asteroids go around the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

• A meteor shower happens when meteors hit Earth.

Which of the following best describes a Trojan asteroid?

• Very small asteroids.

• Asteroids which share Jupiter's orbit.

• .

  Asteroids which share Earth's orbit.

• The largest asteroids.

What is the primary component of a comet's tail?

• Rock and metal fragments

• Ice and dust particles

• Carbon dioxide gas

• Liquid water

Where is the asteroid belt located?

• Between Earth and Mars

• Between Mars and Jupiter

• Between Jupiter and Saturn

• Outside Neptune's orbit

What phenomenon occurs when Earth passes through the debris left by a comet?

• A solar eclipse

• A lunar eclipse

• A meteor shower

• An aurora