Astronomy Packet:  6 Assignment:  3

Comets:

With all this talk about comets we need to discuss what a comet is.  Comets are very fast moving objects made up of a lot of ice, and a little bit of rock.  They move much faster than asteroids, making it much more dangerous for a comet to hit the Earth than an Asteroid. 

Short term comets such as Hailey's Comet which comes near the Earth every 76 years originate from the Kuiper Belt.  Long Term Comets which take thousands of years to circle the Sun come from the Oort Cloud. 

Assignment # 3:

Click Here to find the answer the following question:

Does a comet's tail always follow behind it?  Why, or why not?