answersLogoWhite

0

A long term comet is a comet whose final orbital`s path take more than two-hundred years. An example is Hale- Bopp`s comet that had an orbit of 4,200 years. The following is a general overview about comets:-

The center of the comet , then nucleus, is very smal compared to the rest of the comet, and has a very small diameter. The nucleus is composed or rocks and ices, and a comet usually has no value, or " dead" as they call it, if its ices melt.

The other parts of the comet only exist when the comet is near the sun.The sun`s solar energy produces heat the melts the ice down, forming the glowing " head " , or comet. The ices of the comet are made of various molecules (such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water), and they weigh differently, so, some can escape the nucleus' weak gravity more easily, while others cannot.. Therefore, another minor feature of the coma is the Hydrogen Cloud, which forms the outer part of the coma.

Finally, the tail. Most comets usually have two tails, where one exceeds the other in brightness.. The tails form as a result of the sun's solar wind - the stream of charged particles that emanate from the sun. The solar wind forces gas and dust out from the comet and forces the material into very narrow (relative to their length) tails. The tails always point away from the sun.

The gas and dust form separate tails due to the charge of their constituents. The dust is not highly charged, and so forms a bent tail that slightly lags behind pointing directly away from the sun; its color is yellow because it reflects the light of the yellow sun. The gas tail is much more highly charged, and so the solar wind acts to funnel it much more effectively than it does the dust cloud; its color is blue due to molecules that make it up.

Due to the nature of how the tails form -- material being blown off of the comet - the tails are how comets loose the bulk of their mass. The material usually dissipates after several hundred years, but before that happens, the material usually will continue in the orbit of the comet. If the Earth plows through this, we see a meteor shower.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What is a long term or short term comet?

a long term comet is over 1 year a short term comet is from 0-3 months


How long does it take for a comet to spin on its own axis?

That varies completely from comet to comet.


What type of comet is hale bopp?

Long period comet


Why do you think the word kometes means long hair and the word comet?

The word "kometes," derived from ancient Greek, means "long-haired," likely referring to the appearance of comets as they have bright tails that resemble flowing hair. This visual resemblance gave rise to the term, as early astronomers associated the comet's tail with the notion of long, flowing locks. Over time, the term evolved into "comet" in English, maintaining its connection to the celestial phenomenon's distinctive appearance.


What is the meaning short term comet mean?

A short-term comet is typically defined as a comet with an orbital period of less than 200 years, meaning it travels around the Sun and returns relatively quickly compared to long-period comets. These comets often originate from the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system beyond Neptune filled with icy bodies. Their orbits can be influenced by gravitational interactions with planets, causing them to become visible from Earth more frequently. Examples of short-term comets include Comet Halley and Comet Swift-Tuttle.


What are comet fish?

The "Comet" is a variety of Goldfish that has a long, single tail.


What is long period comet?

A comet with a period of 200 years or more.


What is a long-period comet?

A comet with a period of 200 years or more.


What is Elenin?

Comet (C/2010 X1 (Elenin)) is a long-period comet.


What would be the right term for a star?

Well, shooting stars are actually big balls of hot gas. which is a comet. So the best term for a shooting star would be comet.


What is the correct term for the halo of light arround a comet?

The "coma".


When will comet inky be visible by the naked eye?

Probably for a long long time, as Inky has yet to be named as a comet, but if you're lucky and spot a new comet, you are at liberty to name it Inky if you like.