Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are comets mainly composed of?
What are comets mainly composed of?
- Magnetic fields and radiation
- Rock and metal
- Ice, dust, and volatile gases (correct)
- Molten lava
Why are comets often referred to as 'dirty snowballs' or 'icy dirtballs'?
Why are comets often referred to as 'dirty snowballs' or 'icy dirtballs'?
- Because they contain only dust particles
- Due to their composition of water ice, frozen gases, and various organic compounds (correct)
- Because they have a solid core known as the nucleus
- Because they are made of pure water ice
What causes comets to form a glowing coma and a tail when they approach the Sun?
What causes comets to form a glowing coma and a tail when they approach the Sun?
- The heat causing the ices to sublimate and release gas and dust (correct)
- The magnetic field of the Sun
- The collision with other celestial bodies
- The gravitational pull of the Sun
What is the solid core of a comet known as?
What is the solid core of a comet known as?
What is the glowing cloud of gas and dust that forms around the nucleus of a comet called?
What is the glowing cloud of gas and dust that forms around the nucleus of a comet called?
Why does the tail of a comet always point away from the Sun?
Why does the tail of a comet always point away from the Sun?
What creates the tail of a comet?
What creates the tail of a comet?
What are the two types of tails that comets can have?
What are the two types of tails that comets can have?
When was Halley's Comet last visible from Earth?
When was Halley's Comet last visible from Earth?
What makes Hale-Bopp a memorable celestial event?
What makes Hale-Bopp a memorable celestial event?
What do space missions like NASA's Stardust and ESA's Rosetta provide valuable data on?
What do space missions like NASA's Stardust and ESA's Rosetta provide valuable data on?
What do comets continue to captivate according to the text?
What do comets continue to captivate according to the text?
What was the period of Halley's Comet's last visibility from Earth?
What was the period of Halley's Comet's last visibility from Earth?
What type of tails can comets have?
What type of tails can comets have?
What contributed to our understanding of the solar system's formation and inspired awe and wonder?
What contributed to our understanding of the solar system's formation and inspired awe and wonder?
When was Hale-Bopp comet discovered?
When was Hale-Bopp comet discovered?
What do space missions like NASA's Stardust and ESA's Rosetta provide valuable data on?
What do space missions like NASA's Stardust and ESA's Rosetta provide valuable data on?
What creates the tail of a comet?
What creates the tail of a comet?
What term is used to describe the cloud of gas and dust that forms around the nucleus of a comet?
What term is used to describe the cloud of gas and dust that forms around the nucleus of a comet?
What mainly composes the solid core of a comet known as the nucleus?
What mainly composes the solid core of a comet known as the nucleus?
What causes the tail of a comet to always point away from the Sun?
What causes the tail of a comet to always point away from the Sun?
Which term is used to describe the glowing tail formed by a comet when it approaches the Sun?
Which term is used to describe the glowing tail formed by a comet when it approaches the Sun?
What type of orbits do comets typically have?
What type of orbits do comets typically have?
What term is often used to refer to comets due to their composition of ice, dust, and volatile gases?
What term is often used to refer to comets due to their composition of ice, dust, and volatile gases?
