• Question: what are comits have you seen eny

    Asked by 577nch29 to Simon, Julia, Delma, Andrew, Alex on 8 Dec 2015. This question was also asked by 566nch35.
    • Photo: Andrew Winnard

      Andrew Winnard answered on 8 Dec 2015:

      I have seen Halles comet! I also saw the comet which Rosetta and Philae visited and landed on! I thought that mission was so exciting, did you see it? If not then here is a website with a cool video that will explain it to you: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta

    • Photo: Julia Attias

      Julia Attias answered on 8 Dec 2015:

      Hi @577nch29,

      Comets are often referred to as “dirty snowballs.” They are left over from the formation of stars and planets billions of years ago. Comets that we see in our solar system start out as big chunks of rock and ice. When the gravity from a star becomes strong enough, some large chunks of ice head toward the Sun. As that ball of ice gets close enough to the Sun, its heat begins to melt some of the ice that makes up the comet. The melted ice becomes a gaseous tail that extends away from the sun.

      What keeps the comet in motion is the gravity from all the planets and stars it passes. When a comet is in our solar system, most of the gravity affecting the comet’s motion is due to the Sun. As a comet gets closer to the Sun it moves faster and faster because the Sun’s gravity acting on it is stronger.

      Amazing hey? I have never seen one in real life.. I’d love to!

    • Photo: Delma Childers

      Delma Childers answered on 10 Dec 2015:

      Yes, I have! And my favourite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, has a good and short explanation about Halley’s comet.

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