Comets: Celestial Snowballs

Description: Comets: Celestial Snowballs
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: astronomy asteroids, comets, and meteors comets
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What is a comet?

  1. A small, icy body that orbits the Sun.

  2. A large, rocky body that orbits the Sun.

  3. A ball of gas that orbits the Sun.

  4. A star that orbits the Sun.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Comets are small, icy bodies that orbit the Sun. They are made up of frozen gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia, and dust.

What is the tail of a comet?

  1. A stream of gas and dust that trails behind the comet.

  2. A solid object that trails behind the comet.

  3. A cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the comet.

  4. A ring of gas and dust that surrounds the comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The tail of a comet is a stream of gas and dust that trails behind the comet. It is caused by the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles that blows from the Sun.

What is the nucleus of a comet?

  1. The solid, icy core of a comet.

  2. The tail of a comet.

  3. The cloud of gas and dust that surrounds a comet.

  4. The ring of gas and dust that surrounds a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The nucleus of a comet is the solid, icy core of a comet. It is made up of frozen gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia, and dust.

What is the coma of a comet?

  1. The cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus of a comet.

  2. The tail of a comet.

  3. The solid, icy core of a comet.

  4. The ring of gas and dust that surrounds a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The coma of a comet is the cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus of a comet. It is caused by the sublimation of the comet's icy surface.

What is the orbit of a comet?

  1. An elliptical orbit around the Sun.

  2. A circular orbit around the Sun.

  3. A parabolic orbit around the Sun.

  4. A hyperbolic orbit around the Sun.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The orbit of a comet is an elliptical orbit around the Sun. This means that the comet's distance from the Sun varies as it orbits.

What is the period of a comet?

  1. The time it takes a comet to orbit the Sun.

  2. The time it takes a comet to travel from the Sun to its farthest point from the Sun.

  3. The time it takes a comet to travel from its farthest point from the Sun to the Sun.

  4. The time it takes a comet to complete one rotation on its axis.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The period of a comet is the time it takes a comet to orbit the Sun. This can range from a few years to thousands of years.

What is the aphelion of a comet?

  1. The point in a comet's orbit that is farthest from the Sun.

  2. The point in a comet's orbit that is closest to the Sun.

  3. The point in a comet's orbit where the comet's velocity is zero.

  4. The point in a comet's orbit where the comet's acceleration is zero.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The aphelion of a comet is the point in a comet's orbit that is farthest from the Sun.

What is the perihelion of a comet?

  1. The point in a comet's orbit that is closest to the Sun.

  2. The point in a comet's orbit that is farthest from the Sun.

  3. The point in a comet's orbit where the comet's velocity is zero.

  4. The point in a comet's orbit where the comet's acceleration is zero.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The perihelion of a comet is the point in a comet's orbit that is closest to the Sun.

What is the Great Comet of 1811?

  1. A comet that was visible in the night sky for over a year.

  2. A comet that had a tail that was over 100 million miles long.

  3. A comet that was so bright that it could be seen during the day.

  4. All of the above.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Great Comet of 1811 was a comet that was visible in the night sky for over a year, had a tail that was over 100 million miles long, and was so bright that it could be seen during the day.

What is the Halley's Comet?

  1. A comet that orbits the Sun every 76 years.

  2. A comet that was first observed in 240 BC.

  3. A comet that has been observed by humans more than any other comet.

  4. All of the above.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Halley's Comet is a comet that orbits the Sun every 76 years, was first observed in 240 BC, and has been observed by humans more than any other comet.

What is the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet?

  1. A comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994.

  2. A comet that was discovered by Eugene Shoemaker and Carolyn Shoemaker.

  3. A comet that was named after the Shoemaker-Levy family.

  4. All of the above.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet was a comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994, was discovered by Eugene Shoemaker and Carolyn Shoemaker, and was named after the Shoemaker-Levy family.

What is the Deep Impact mission?

  1. A mission to send a spacecraft to impact a comet.

  2. A mission to send a spacecraft to fly by a comet.

  3. A mission to send a spacecraft to land on a comet.

  4. A mission to send a spacecraft to orbit a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Deep Impact mission was a mission to send a spacecraft to impact a comet.

What is the Stardust mission?

  1. A mission to send a spacecraft to collect samples from a comet.

  2. A mission to send a spacecraft to fly by a comet.

  3. A mission to send a spacecraft to land on a comet.

  4. A mission to send a spacecraft to orbit a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Stardust mission was a mission to send a spacecraft to collect samples from a comet.

What is the Rosetta mission?

  1. A mission to send a spacecraft to orbit a comet.

  2. A mission to send a spacecraft to fly by a comet.

  3. A mission to send a spacecraft to land on a comet.

  4. A mission to send a spacecraft to impact a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Rosetta mission was a mission to send a spacecraft to orbit a comet.

What is the New Horizons mission?

  1. A mission to send a spacecraft to Pluto.

  2. A mission to send a spacecraft to fly by a comet.

  3. A mission to send a spacecraft to land on a comet.

  4. A mission to send a spacecraft to orbit a comet.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The New Horizons mission was a mission to send a spacecraft to Pluto.

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