COMETS, ASTEROIDS &

METEROIDS
WH A T S T H E D I F F E R E N C E ?
WHAT IS AN ASTEROID?
 Asteroids are
leftovers from the
formation of our
solar system about
billion years ago.
MADE OF ROCK AND METAL
COMPOSITION
 Because asteroids
are too small to be
classified as planets,
they are often called
minor planets or
planetoids
 Tens of thousands
of asteroids are found in
an area called the
ASTEROID BELTa vast,
doughnut-shaped ring
located between the
orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
WHERE DO ASTEROIDS ORIGINATE?
ASTEROID BELT
WHAT IS COMET?
 Comets are like
dirty snowballs,
consisting of rocks,
dust and frozen
gas.
 Short-period comets are
remnants from the
formation of the solar
system. They
orbit the Sun in the Kuiper
Belt, which
begins just past Neptune.
Long-period comets
may originate from a
region known as the
Oort Cloud.
 Nucleus The solid rocky part
of the comet.

Coma The cloud that forms

around a comet's nucleus.
This cloud is made by solar wind
striking the surface of the
nucleus, causing a mixture of
gas and dust to form around it.
 Dust Tail This type of comet
tail forms when the solar wind
separates dust from the coma.

Gas-Ion Tail This type of

comet tail forms when the
solar wind separates gases
from the coma.
WHAT IS METEROID?
 Meteoroids- are
pieces of rock and
metal dislodged from
comets, planets,
asteroids or moons.
 Meteor The flash of
light that we see in the
night sky caused by the
friction of a meteoroid
passing through the
atmosphere.
Meteorite Any part
of a meteoroid that
survives its fall
through the
atmosphere and
lands on the Earth.
Characteristics Asteroid Meteoroid Comet

dislodged from comets, planets,

asteroids, or moons. Mostly are found
Origin Asteroid Belt in the Asteroid Belt Kuiper Belt & Oort Cloud

Shape Irregular Irregular Irregular

Composition Rock & Metal Rock & Metal ice, dust and rocky particles

Smaller than Dwarf Planet Smaller than Asteroids (Typically less Smaller than Asteroids but
Size (1-100++ Km) than 10m) bigger than Meteroids (1-10 Km)

No distinct orbit, can travel around

Orbit more rounded the sun in different orbits Highly Elliptical

Other
Description Minor Planet/Planetoid Meteors/Shooting Star Dirty Snowball/Icebergs