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What is the Difference Between Asteroids and Comets?
universetoday.com ^ | on November 19, 2014 | Nancy Atkinson

Posted on 11/19/2014 1:44:17 PM PST by BenLurkin

Asteroids and comets have a few things in common. They are both celestial bodies orbiting our Sun, and they both can have unusual orbits, sometimes straying close to Earth or the other planets. They are both “leftovers” — made from materials from the formation of our Solar System 4.5 billion years ago. But there are a few notable differences between these two objects, as well. The biggest difference between comets and asteroids, however, is what they are made of.

While asteroids consist of metals and rocky material, comets are made up of ice, dust, rocky materials and organic compounds. When comets get closer to the Sun, they lose material with each orbit because some of their ice melts and vaporizes. Asteroids typically remain solid, even when near the Sun.

Right now, the majority of asteroids reside in the asteroid belt, a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter which may hold millions of space rocks of varying sizes. On the other hand, the majority of comets are in the farthest reaches of our Solar System: either 1. in the Kuiper Belt — a region just outside the orbit of the dwarf planet Pluto that may have millions of icy comets (as well as many icy dwarf planets like Pluto and Eris); or 2. comets also come from the Oort Cloud, a region where trillions of comets may circle the Sun at huge distances of up to 20 trillion kilometers (13 trillion miles).

(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: asteroids; catastrophism; comets; kaboom
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To: Bob434

Tag line stuff right there!


21 posted on 11/19/2014 3:36:02 PM PST by wrench (Ebola is not a threat to the US. 0bama says so, and he would never lie..........)
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To: BenLurkin

I do know the difference between a vitamin and a hormone - You can’t hear a vitamin.../rimshot


22 posted on 11/19/2014 3:37:15 PM PST by Go_Raiders (Freedom doesn't give you the right to take from others, no matter how innocent your program sounds.)
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To: BenLurkin

Only very rarely does an asteroid have a tail. A comet has a tail as big as a kite.


23 posted on 11/19/2014 4:59:13 PM PST by HandyDandy (Don't make-up stuff. It just wastes everybody's time.)
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To: BenLurkin

Comets have a great deal of ices and travel in orbits that are either highly elliptical or even parabolic. Asteroids travel in orbits that are closer to a circle


24 posted on 11/19/2014 5:38:21 PM PST by jmcenanly ("The more corrupt the state, the more laws." Tacitus, Publius Cornelius)
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To: jmacusa

You missed the tag...


25 posted on 11/19/2014 6:50:58 PM PST by Disambiguator
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To: BenLurkin
While asteroids consist of metals and rocky material, comets are made up of ice, dust, rocky materials and organic compounds.

No metals on comets? No organic compounds on asteroids? Why?

26 posted on 11/19/2014 6:57:24 PM PST by workerbee (The President of the United States is PUBLIC ENEMY #1)
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To: Disambiguator

Danged old middle aged eye sight!


27 posted on 11/19/2014 8:33:09 PM PST by jmacusa (Liberalism defined: When mom and dad go away for the weekend and the kids are in charge.)
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To: 75thOVI; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aragorn; aristotleman; Avoiding_Sulla; ...
Thanks BenLurkin.

28 posted on 11/23/2014 2:27:17 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Celebrate the Polls, Ignore the Trolls)
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To: Veggie Todd

No, you’re apparently thinking of Hemorrhoids. You aren’t stupid are you?


29 posted on 11/23/2014 4:08:24 PM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: Gamecock
"Beat me to it."

You should be happy then that he said something completely stupid before you did then. :)

30 posted on 11/23/2014 4:10:26 PM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: BenLurkin

Asteroids don’t taste like gasoline and make your teeth turn green.


31 posted on 11/23/2014 4:19:40 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: KoRn

32 posted on 11/23/2014 5:51:05 PM PST by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a Gospel preacher like Colonel Sanders is an Army officer.)
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To: KoRn

Huh?


33 posted on 11/23/2014 5:56:52 PM PST by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
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