Comets are icy, small Solar System bodies that, when passing close to the Sun, warm and begin to release gases, a process known as outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere and sometimes a tail. Some people even compare comets to dirty snowballs but according to recent scientific research, they are now considered snowy dirtballs. Some components that makeup comets are dust, ice, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, and many other components. Scientists believe that comets are residual material that formed the solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
Some scientists believe that comets are one of the reasons that Earth has life on it as the comets could have brought some of the water and organic molecules to Earth. To further develop and study this hypothesis, the Rosetta mission was executed, which landed a probe on a comet on November 12, 2014. This probe is studying the comet’s nucleus and environment, observing how it changes as it approaches the Sun.
Comets are seen to be orbiting the sun, but most reside in a place called the Oort Cloud, which is located far beyond the orbit of Pluto. Occasionally a comet flies through the inner solar system; some do this regularly, but some only do this once every century. Many people haven’t seen a comet, but if you have, you will likely never forget the snowy dirtball.
You must be asking, how are comets named. Most of the time, comets are named after the people who discover them. An example of this is a comet named Shoemaker-Levy 9, which got its name because it was the 9th short-periodic comet discovered by Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker, and David Levy. Spacecraft have been proven to be the best place to discover comets, so comets are sometimes named after the mission as well.
Now, back to the physical make-up of a comet. Based on NASA scientists’ research, the solid nucleus or core of a comet consists mostly of ice and dust, surrounded by dark organic material. The ice is mainly composed of frozen water but it may also consist of other frozen substances as well, such as ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. The nucleus may also contain a rock core.
Overall, comets are small bodies of ice and dust with many components that fly through our solar system. They are quite rare, but an amazing site to see if you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the snowy dirtball. Scientists believe they are residual material from the creation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago and are believed to be a reason as to why there is life on Earth. They further studied this hypothesis by executing the Rosetta mission to learn more about comets. Lastly, we have seen comets orbit the sun, but most inhabit an area known as the Oort Cloud, which is an area located far beyond the orbit of Pluto.
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By: Zubin Sidhu
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References:
Choi, Charles. “Comets: Facts About The ‘Dirty Snowballs’ of Space.” Space.Com, 24 Oct. 2017, www.space.com/53-comets-formation-discovery-and-exploration.html.
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