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Comets. By: Juan Alvarado and Cameron Murry. Rotation and Revolution of Halley’s Comet. In 1705 Edmond Halley predicted (using Newton‘s newly formulated laws of motion) that the comet seen in 1531, 1607, and 1682 would return in 1758 (which was after his death).
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Comets By: Juan Alvarado and Cameron Murry
Rotation and Revolution of Halley’s Comet • In 1705 Edmond Halley predicted (using Newton‘s newly formulated laws of motion) that the comet seen in 1531, 1607, and 1682 would return in 1758 (which was after his death). • The comet did return when he predicted it would. • The comet was later named in his honor. • The average period of Halley's orbit is 76 years. • Non-gravitational effects (such as the reaction from gasses boiled off during its passage near the Sun) also play an important (but smaller) role in altering the orbit.
Physical Properties of a Comet • A comet is an icy body that releases gas or dust. • They are often called dirty snowballs, or snowy dirtballs. • Comets contain dust, ice, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane and more. • Comets orbit the sun, but most are believed to inhabit in an area known as the Oort Cloud, far beyond the orbit of Pluto. • Occasionally a comet streaks through the inner solar system. • Many people have never seen a comet, but those who have won't easily forget the celestial show.
What a Far Away Comet Looks like from the Sun • Comets that are icy black rocks or are covered in dust are far away from the Sun. • Sometimes this water, gas, rocks and dust can been seen from the Earth as one or two tails streaming away from the comet. • Even when only one tail can be seen, there are two; one made from the lighter gas and water, and the other from the rocks, dust and chunks of ice.
History of Comets • Before 1600, comets were not yet clearly established as celestial (astronomical). • Then followed two centuries of mostly positional measurements with emphasis on the motions and the orbits. This lasted until the early 19th century. • Until Halley’s comet in 1835. • Nobody has ever been on a comet.
Quiz • What was the name of the comet in slide 2? (Coach Huff has seen his comet.) • Halley’s Comet. • Who has been on a comet? • No one. • Who was Edmond Halley? • The man who predicted Halley’s Comet would return. • Name 2 things inside a comet. • Dust, ice, carbon dioxide, ammonia, or methane. • What cloud is beyond the orbit of Pluto? (It is where comets are believed to originate from.) • Oort Cloud.
