Comets+and+Asteroids

__ ​ By Ugur Gurel and Jayden Cogan  __ Asteroids And Comets 

**What are Asteroids Exactly? ** Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets or planetoids, are small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun, especially in the inner Solar System; they are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids. The term "asteroid" has historically been applied primarily to minor planets of the inner Solar System, as the outer Solar System was poorly known when it came into common usage.

Whats the difference between Comets and Asteroids? ** The distinction between asteroids and comets is made on visual appearance: Comets show a perceptible coma while asteroids do not. ** How common are Comets? ** Every year about 6 new comets are discovered, which add to the more than 700 already recorded. Some of these are once off visitors that will never return to the inner solar system. Others may take 10 000 years or more to return and yet others may have a period as short as 2 years. Halley's Comet has a period of 76 years. ** What are Comets exactly? ** Comets are small objects that reflect light from the Sun. They range from a few kilometers to tens of kilometers in diameter, and consist of a nucleus (center) of ice, rock, dust and gases. When close to the Sun, the nucleus becomes surrounded by a water and gas cloud called the “coma”. The nucleus and coma are sometimes referred to as the “head” of the comet, however, when not near the Sun, the nucleus //is// the comet. **Comet McNaught:** Also known as the **Great Comet of 2007.** This a non-periodic comet discovered on August 7, 2006 by British-Australian astronomer Robert H. McNaught. It was the brightest comet for over 40 years, and was easily visible to the naked eye for observers in the Southern Hemisphere on January and February 2007
 * [[image:http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow9/graphics/gaspra.jpg width="245" height="190"]]

Quiz Question:** Which way is the comet going below?
 * [[image:comet-mcnaught[1].jpg]]



**__We got our information from:__** -www.wikipedia.com -www.bellaonline.com -www.questacon.edu.au This page was put together by Jayden Cogan and Ugur Gurel from Irymple Secondary College, Australia