Astronomy: Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors
Learning about small objects in our solar system
Astronomy: Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors
Learning about small objects in our solar system
Astronomy - Grade 4-5
- 1
A comet is often called a dirty snowball. Explain what a comet is made of and what happens when it gets close to the Sun.
Think about what happens when ice warms up.
A comet is made of ice, dust, rock, and frozen gases. When it gets close to the Sun, some of the ice turns into gas and forms a glowing cloud and tail. - 2
An asteroid is a rocky object that orbits the Sun. Most asteroids in our solar system are found in a region between which two planets?
Most asteroids are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. - 3
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: A streak of light seen in the night sky when a small space rock burns up in Earth's atmosphere is called a meteor, meteorite, or asteroid.
A meteor is sometimes called a shooting star, but it is not really a star.
The streak of light is called a meteor because it is the bright flash made as the space rock burns in Earth's atmosphere. - 4
Explain the difference between a meteoroid and a meteorite.
The ending of the word changes when the object lands on Earth.
A meteoroid is a small piece of rock or metal traveling in space. A meteorite is a piece that reaches the ground after passing through Earth's atmosphere. - 5
A student says, "Comets and asteroids are exactly the same because they both orbit the Sun." Explain why this statement is not correct.
The statement is not correct because comets are mostly made of ice, dust, and frozen gases, while asteroids are mostly made of rock and metal. They both orbit the Sun, but they are made of different materials. - 6
Look at the imaginary object described here: It is mostly rock and metal, has no tail, and orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Is it most likely a comet, asteroid, or meteor? Explain your answer.
Focus on what the object is made of and where it is found.
It is most likely an asteroid because asteroids are rocky or metallic objects, usually do not have tails, and many orbit between Mars and Jupiter. - 7
Why does a comet's tail usually point away from the Sun?
A comet's tail usually points away from the Sun because sunlight and the solar wind push gas and dust away from the comet. - 8
Put these events in the correct order: A small rock travels through space, it enters Earth's atmosphere and glows, a piece lands on the ground.
The object's name changes depending on where it is.
The correct order is: a meteoroid travels through space, it becomes a meteor when it enters Earth's atmosphere and glows, and it is called a meteorite if a piece lands on the ground. - 9
A meteor shower happens when Earth passes through a trail of dust left behind by a comet. Why do we see many meteors during a meteor shower?
Earth is moving through a path that has many small pieces of dust.
We see many meteors during a meteor shower because many tiny bits of comet dust enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up, creating many streaks of light. - 10
Circle all the objects that orbit the Sun: comets, asteroids, meteoroids, Earth's Moon.
Comets, asteroids, and many meteoroids orbit the Sun. Earth's Moon mainly orbits Earth, even though it also travels around the Sun with Earth. - 11
A rock from space makes a crater when it hits a planet or moon. What is a crater, and what can it tell scientists?
Think about what happens when a ball hits wet sand.
A crater is a bowl-shaped hole made by an impact. It can tell scientists that an object from space hit the surface and can give clues about the object's size and speed. - 12
Which object would most likely grow a visible tail as it gets closer to the Sun: an asteroid or a comet? Explain your answer.
A comet would most likely grow a visible tail because it contains ice and frozen gases that can warm up and form gas and dust near the Sun. - 13
Read the clues: This object is small, rocky, and burns up before reaching the ground. What is it called while it is glowing in the atmosphere?
The glowing streak in the sky has its own name.
It is called a meteor while it is glowing in the atmosphere. - 14
Draw or describe one way a comet and an asteroid are alike and one way they are different.
Use one similarity and one difference in your answer.
A comet and an asteroid are alike because both are small solar system objects that orbit the Sun. They are different because a comet has lots of ice and can form a tail, while an asteroid is mostly rock or metal. - 15
Why is it important for scientists to study asteroids and comets?
Scientists study asteroids and comets because they can teach us about how the solar system formed. Scientists also watch their paths to help protect Earth from possible impacts.