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All of them. Even the short-period comets like Halley spend most of their time far out from the Sun; if they spent too much time in the inner system, all of their volatile gasses and ices would melt and sublimate away.

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Q: Most comets spend the majority of their time beyond which orbit?
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What is the scientific explanation for comets?

Comets are small bodies of rock and ice which are in highly eccentric orbits around the Sun. They spend most of their time far from the Sun, some beyond the outer planets. When a comet's orbit eventually comes close to the Sun, the surface is heated and partly vaporized. This ejects the gas molecules that give the comet its tails. Comets are thought to be objects from the Kuiper belt beyond Neptune, or from even farther out. The Oort Cloud is a region many billions of miles past Pluto, where it is theorized that millions of widely scattered icy objects exist. Gravitational disturbances can eventually pull them inward into cometary paths. If they achieve a regular orbit, they can become comets seen again and again.


How far are comets to the sun?

The distance of a comet from the sun varies greatly. Much more so than for any of the planets, in fact. Comets orbit the sun in long, long eliptical orbits. The orbits of comets can take them from the inner planets outward to space far beyond the orbits of the outer most planets.


Comets and stars?

Comets are small bodies of rock and ice which are in a highly eccentric orbit around the sun, which is a star. There are thought to be other comets orbiting other stars, but we would not be able to detect them from earth.


Why are comets only visible some of the time?

well u see comets could be bigger than others but also small ones burn up in the atmosphere making themm nothing like so: muduim comet + atmmospher = small comet big comet + atmosphere = medium comet oh SHlT is that god!? comet + atmosphere = big comet and super duper craz------- well u get the idea


Is the sun at the center of a comets orbit?

It is highly imporbable that any comet follows a circular orbit. They are much more likely to follow long eliptical orbits in their eccentric wanderings through the inner and outer solar system. Surf the link to our friends at Wikipedia for some pics and more data.

Related questions

Comets spend most of their time?

Beyond the orbit of Neptune


What is the scientific explanation for comets?

Comets are small bodies of rock and ice which are in highly eccentric orbits around the Sun. They spend most of their time far from the Sun, some beyond the outer planets. When a comet's orbit eventually comes close to the Sun, the surface is heated and partly vaporized. This ejects the gas molecules that give the comet its tails. Comets are thought to be objects from the Kuiper belt beyond Neptune, or from even farther out. The Oort Cloud is a region many billions of miles past Pluto, where it is theorized that millions of widely scattered icy objects exist. Gravitational disturbances can eventually pull them inward into cometary paths. If they achieve a regular orbit, they can become comets seen again and again.


What is is the difference between the orbit of a comet and the orbit of a planet?

Comets have elliptical orbits as do planets, in general a comets orbit is more elliptical than a planets orbit. In some cases far more, insomuch as they are temporary visitors to our solar system. --- Comets are small bodies of rock and ice which are in a highly eccentric orbit around the sun. They spend most of their time slowly orbiting the sun, far out beyond the outer planets. Their orbit eventually brings them closer to the sun where they can then be seen more easily as the sun heats the surface and causes gas and dust to come away from the comet. Planets have much more regular orbits, their distance from the sun varies too, but to a much lesser degree. Planets orbits dont cross each others, and they are all on a similar plane. comets orbits are not always on the planetary plane and will cross the orbits of many planets throughout their eccentric orbit.


What member of the solar system has a highly eccentric orbit?

Comets. They spend a lot of their time moving slowly at far distances from the sun, with brief periods of time spent closer to the sun, moving at higher speeds.


How far are comets to the sun?

The distance of a comet from the sun varies greatly. Much more so than for any of the planets, in fact. Comets orbit the sun in long, long eliptical orbits. The orbits of comets can take them from the inner planets outward to space far beyond the orbits of the outer most planets.


What are located beyond the asteroid belt 3 AU from the sun have extremely large masses and very low density?

Comets are fairly small bodies of rock and ice which are in a highly eccentric orbit around the sun. The actual nucleus of a comet can be between a few hundred metres across, to 40 or more km in diameter. Their mass is quite low, but their density is also quite low as they are mostly made of water ice and frozen gases. They spend most of their time slowly orbiting the sun, far out beyond the outer planets (and way beyond the asteroid belt). Their orbit eventually brings them close to the sun, where the surface is heated and gives the comet its tails.


Comets and stars?

Comets are small bodies of rock and ice which are in a highly eccentric orbit around the sun, which is a star. There are thought to be other comets orbiting other stars, but we would not be able to detect them from earth.


Why are comets only visible some of the time?

well u see comets could be bigger than others but also small ones burn up in the atmosphere making themm nothing like so: muduim comet + atmmospher = small comet big comet + atmosphere = medium comet oh SHlT is that god!? comet + atmosphere = big comet and super duper craz------- well u get the idea


Is the sun at the center of a comets orbit?

It is highly imporbable that any comet follows a circular orbit. They are much more likely to follow long eliptical orbits in their eccentric wanderings through the inner and outer solar system. Surf the link to our friends at Wikipedia for some pics and more data.


Does child support stop when the child moves out of home?

Not automatically, and not in states where it extends beyond the age of majority. There are no laws that require the obligee parent to spend the money on the child. See related links below.


What is limiting expenditure within one budget?

It means to spend according to what you earn and not to spend beyond that.


What is a comets temperature?

The temperature on a comet will vary by its position in its orbit. Comets have been compared to "dirty snowballs" of frozen methane, nitrogen, ammonia and carbon dioxide, with some dust and rocks mixed in. Far from the sun, which is where comets spend most of their time, the temperature will approach the 4 degree Kelvin (minus 269 degrees Celsius) "temperature" of deep space. As the comet falls in toward the Sun, the Sun's radiation heats the comet unevenly, causing "outgassing" as the frozen gasses of the comet are sublimated to form the tail of the comet.