What Is The Difference Between Asteroids And Comets - Answers Asteroids Vs Comets
The main difference between asteroids and comets is what they
are made of. Asteroids are made of metals and rocky material, while
comets are made up of ice, dust and some rocky material. Both
asteroids and comets were formed early in the history of the solar
system, about 4.5 billion years ago. Asteroids formed much closer
to the Sun, where it was too warm for ices to remain solid. Comets
formed farther from the Sun where ices would not melt. Comets which
approach the Sun lose material with each orbit because some of
their ice melts and vaporizes to form a tail.
An asteroid is a small, inactive body, made up of rock, carbon
or metal, that orbits the Sun.
A comet is also a small, but sometimes active object, made of
dirt and ice. Comets are able to be seen by their characteristic
tails as they become affected by the heat of the Sun. The tail of a
comet is pushed away from the Sun. It does not necessarily trail
behind it.
Comets follow highly elliptical orbits, approaching the inner
solar system and then retreating to a considerable distance from
the Sun. If they stayed close in to the Sun, all the ice would
vaporize, and they would cease to be comets. Most asteroids tend to
have more nearly circular orbits, although some develop more
elongated orbits as a result of gravitational interactions with the
planets or other asteroids.
Asteroids have diameters anywhere from a few meters to a
few hundred kilometers. Only about 200 asteroids have diameters
exceeding 100 kilometers. Most rotate on their axes every 5 to 20
hours. Most asteroids in the solar system are located in the
'asteroid belt', where they orbit the sun in the space between the
orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Some smaller asteroids may orbit larger
asteroids as satellites. Asteroids are different from planets and
moons mainly because of their much smaller size, and irregular
shapes.
0 Comments
Posting Komentar