Asteroids comets and meteoroids whats the difference power point
- 2. • Bodies in the solar system that orbit the Sun. • Typically made of rock and metal but can also contain organic compounds.
- 3. • Very greatly in size and can be as large as hundreds of miles wide. • Mainly made of materials left over from the formation of the solar system. • Similar to comets but do not have a coma (tail) that is visible.
- 4. • Most orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, although some orbit closer. (Asteroid Belt)
- 5. • The asteroid belt is divided into an inner belt and an outer belt. • The inner belt, is made up of asteroids that are within 250 million miles of the Sun, contains asteroids that are made of metals. • The outer belt, includes asteroids 250 million miles beyond the Sun, consists of rocky asteroids.
- 6. • The first asteroid was discovered in 1801 by Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi. • Named Ceres, it is approximately 600 miles wide.
- 7. • Many scientists believe that an asteroid impact was the cause behind the extinction of the dinosaurs around 65 million years ago.
- 8. • A small rock or particle of debris in the solar system. • Range in size from dust to around 10 metres in diameter. • Larger objects are referred to as asteroids.
- 9. • Meteoroids often enter the Earth’s atmosphere. • A meteoroid that burns up as it goes through the Earth’s atmosphere is known as a meteor. (Shooting Star)
- 10. • A meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth’s atmosphere and colliding with the Earth’s surface is known as a meteorite.
- 11. • Approximately 500 meteorites reach the Earth’s surface every year but of those only around 5 ever make it to scientists for study. • The Earth’s atmosphere experiences millions of meteors every day. • When many meteors occur in a close time frame in the same part of the sky it is called a meteor shower.
- 12. • A small solar system body that orbits the Sun. • Comets are made of ice, dust and small rocky particles. • When close enough to the Sun they display a visible coma (a fuzzy outline or atmosphere due to solar radiation) and sometimes a tail.
- 13. • The coma is created as the comet gets closer to the Sun, causing water, carbon dioxide and other compounds to quickly change from solid to gas.
- 14. • Halley’s Comet is the most well known comet. • It is known as a periodic comet (or short term comet) because the time it takes to orbit the Sun is less than 200 years. • Humans have been observing and recording the comet for thousands of years, with appearances noted by Babylonian, Chinese and European civilizations. • It can be seen from Earth every 75 to 76 years, and since it last appeared in in 1986 it will return again sometime in 2061.
- 15. THIS IS A PREVIEW OF MY LARGER ASTEROIDS, COMETS AND METEORS RESOURCE THAT INCLUDES A STUDENT COPY FOR NOTE-TAKING AND A RELATED ACTIVITY SHEET!