The Solar System Asteroids Meteroids and Comets Objectives

The Solar System Asteroids, Meteroids and Comets

Objectives -Explain why comets, asteroids, and meteroids are important to the study of the formation of the solar system -Describe the similarities of and differeces between asteroids and meteroids -Explain how cosmic impacts may affect life on Earth

Did You Know? ? ? • In space, astronauts cannot cry, because there is no gravity, so the tears can't flow. – Source - http: //www. factscollection. com/Cosmic%20 Space-2. html

Comets • Comets – A small body of ice and rock loosely packed together – Comets are leftovers of when the solar system was forming

Comet Tails • As a comets passes close enough to the sun it gets 2 tails, an Ion tail and a Dust tail • A comet only has a tail as it gets closer to the sun

Comet Tails

Comet Orbits • Comets pass close to the sun in one part of their orbit and far in another part of their orbit

Comet Orbits

Hale-Bopp Comet

Hykutake Comet

Halley’s Comet

Asteroids • Asteroids - rocks much smaller than planets that revolve around the Sun – Asteroids can be made of different metals or rocks and are not always round

Asteriod Belt • Asteroid Belt – The region between Mars and Jupiter where most of the asteroids in the solar system orbit

Asteroids of the Solar System

Kuiper Belt • Kuiper Belt – The region beyond Neptune similar to the asteroid belt, made of many small bodies

Eros

Eros (closer)

Gaspra

Ida

Hektor

Meteoroids • Meteoroid – A small rocky body that travels through space. (No orbit) • Meteorite – A meteoroid that reaches the surface of the Earth without burning up in the Atmosphere • Meteor – A meteoroid that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere

Impacts on Earth

Manicouagan Crater – Quebec (Canada)

Barringer Crater – Arizona (U. S. )

Bosumtwi Crater – Ghana (Africa. )

Goses Bluff Crater – Australia

Chicxulub Crater – Yucatan (Mexico)

Craters from Space

Review • The photosphere is the visible part of the sun on the earth • The Sun id not burning, it creates energy through nuclear fusion • The sun’s nuclear fusion comes from changing hydrogen into helium • Sunspots are colder spots on the suns surface • Solar Flares are hit spots that shoot out from the sun • Earths magnetic field and atmosphere protect it from the sun

Journal • What do you believe we could learn about our solar system by studying what asteroids and comets are made of?