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Q: What happens to comets as they come closer to the sun in their orbit?
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What is the source of the solar system's comets?

Most are thought to come from the kuiper belt, further out than the orbit of Neptune. Long term comets may also come from the Oort cloud, which is further out still.


Are comets stars that contain ice and dust?

Comets are relatively small chunks of rock and ice that orbit the sun, sometimes they come close but usually are far out beyond the orbit of Neptune. Stars are different, they are like our sun. Much bigger and hotter but much further away.


Where do comet comet come from?

They come from the outer reaches of space.


Where do asteroids and comets come from?

Asteroids are minor planets, especially those of the Inner Solar System. However, between the orbital paths of Mars and Jupiter lie a region known as the asteroid belt. Many asteroids come from there, but most of them stay there. Short-period comets originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside the orbit of Neptune, while long-period comets are thought to originate in the Oort cloud.


Why does it take 76 years for Halley's comet to go around the sun?

Most comets have a very eccentric orbit. Most of the time they are far out on the edge of our solar system, travelling very slowly. They then eventually come closer to the sun and whip around the other side of it very quickly, travelling much closer to the sun. They then return back to a more distant orbit. For most of the time it is very far from the sun, travelling relatively slowly.

Related questions

What celiestial body do comets orbit?

Any object with greater mass than another can cause the lesser object to orbit it. Most of our comets come from the Oort Cloud, beyond Pluto, and they orbit our Sun.


Where are the comets found?

It is believed that there is a large cloud of comets, called the Oort Cloud, orbiting the Sun at a relatively large distance. Now and then, one of them is budged by gravitational forces; as a result, they come closer to the Sun - where we are.


Are comets part of the of the asteroid belt?

No. Comets come from beyond the asteroid belt, mostly from a region called the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune.


Why have comets happened?

Comets are solid pieces of rock that are in long elliptical orbit around the sun. They occur because pieces of other space objects (asteroids, moons, planets, etc.) were knocked off into this path, and the path just happens to come close to the Earth.


What is the source of the solar system's comets?

Most are thought to come from the kuiper belt, further out than the orbit of Neptune. Long term comets may also come from the Oort cloud, which is further out still.


Where do short and long period comets come from?

Short period comets are thought to originate in the Kuiper Belt, outside the orbit of Neptune.Long period comets originate in the Oort Cloud, which is far more distant, about half way to the nearest star!Comets, as with any astronomical body, can have its orbit perturbed (changed) by external gravitational forces. Long period comets can become short period and vice versa. The orbits can range from a few tens of years to many thousands, some can even escape altogether.


Does a meteor orbit the sun?

An object only becomes a meteor when it leaves orbit and enters earth's atmosphere.


Is Saturn part of the Oort cloud?

No. The Oort cloud is way beyond the orbit of Saturn. It's where many of the comets come from.


Are comets stars that contain ice and dust?

Comets are relatively small chunks of rock and ice that orbit the sun, sometimes they come close but usually are far out beyond the orbit of Neptune. Stars are different, they are like our sun. Much bigger and hotter but much further away.


Where do comet comet come from?

They come from the outer reaches of space.


Where do asteroids and comets come from?

Asteroids are minor planets, especially those of the Inner Solar System. However, between the orbital paths of Mars and Jupiter lie a region known as the asteroid belt. Many asteroids come from there, but most of them stay there. Short-period comets originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside the orbit of Neptune, while long-period comets are thought to originate in the Oort cloud.


Why does the moon come closer to the earth?

The moon comes closer to the earth because its orbit is not a perfect circle. So there are times when it is slightly closer to the earth than others.