The difference between comets and asteroids is still very little known. Many people think that asteroids are part of comets.
In fact, the two have quite significant differences. Asteroids are space rocks. While comets are outer space snow.
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This nickname is due to the long, thin fog around the comet. Because of this, comets are usually referred to as tail stars.
Here Are 4 Differences Comets and Asteroids
Who here often calls comets like space rocks? Worse, interpret comets the same as asteroids?
That is very wrong. In fact, the contents of those two extraterrestrial bodies itself is very different.
Asteroids are celestial bodies that are shaped and have a rock-like texture. That’s why asteroids have the nickname space rocks.
This one space stone has a size that tends to be large. Because of its size, asteroids are also known as minor planets or small planets.
The second thing is comets. Comets are also objects in outer space. The difference is, comets are remnants of the formation of the Solar System billions of years ago.
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The comet has a white mist that extends around it. The fog is what earned the comet the nickname of the tailed star.
However, comets are not stars. Comets themselves cannot produce light like stars, and the size of comets is very far below the stars.
Comets are made up of a collection of dust that freezes when they are away from the sun. Meanwhile, when it is near the sun, the comet will evaporate as well as form its head and tail.
From the understanding alone these two celestial bodies look different. Here are 4 differences between comets and asteroids.
Comets Have Tails, Asteroids Don’t
The name comet itself comes from the Greek, namely cometes which means long hair. That’s because when seen from Earth, the long thin cloud of comets looks like hair or tails.
The tail of a comet also comes from its own body which is made up of ice, gas, and rock. The tail will be visible when the comet is near the sun and evaporates.
While asteroids, this one object has a shape that is almost like a planet or more oval. It has no tail at all.
Space Rock Asteroid Space Snow Comet
If you say comets are space rocks, you are wrong. Space rocks are just asteroids.
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Meanwhile, comets, even though they look solid, are not rock. Asteroids come from the rest of the planets in the Solar System. While comets are remnants of the formation of the Solar System itself.
Being in a Different Place
The next difference between comets and asteroids is where they live. Many asteroids are in the Kuiper belt between Mars and Jupiter. Even so, asteroids are also often near Earth because they orbit the sun.
Comets also revolve around the Sun. The difference is that the comet’s orbit is very oval, so it takes a long time to complete its rotation.
Comets Rarely Visit Earth
Unlike asteroids, comets are very rare around Earth. Even the emergence can be thousands of years.
This is related to the comet’s orbital path which is more oval, so it takes a very long time. In its history, there have been several asteroids that have managed to fall to the Earth’s surface.
When the asteroid part splits into a meteoroid, the next meteoroid that enters the Earth’s atmosphere will become a meteor.
Those are some of the differences between comets and asteroids. Although they both look the same, they are very different.
Asteroids consist only of solid rock. On the other hand, comets also contain gas and ice in addition to the rock itself.
Even though they are different, they still have some similarities as space objects. One of them is comets and asteroids that are equally disintegrating.
In the course of orbiting the Sun, the life of comets is seriously threatened. Because, when near the Sun, it is not uncommon for comets to be too close.
As a result, the comet will disintegrate and leave only dust. This also applies if an asteroid hits Earth.
Asteroids usually burn up in Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface. If it doesn’t burn out, it means the asteroid is very large.
After knowing the difference between comets and asteroids, don’t misinterpret the two because their origins are very different. (R10/HR-Online)
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