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The Solar System

Study Slideshow

A piece of a meteoroid (or an asteroid) that survives its passage through the atmosphere and strikes Earth's surface is called

meteorite

Small mass of dust and ice that originates in an area beyond Pluto called the Oort cloud

comet

How can comets get close to the sun in some parts of their orbits?

The gravity of the gas giants and the Sun pulls them inward in giant elliptical orbits much larger than those of the planets.

What makes comets visible?

when comets are close to the Sun, solar radiation and solar wind give them a visible coma and tail

cloud of dust and gas around a comet

coma

trail of dust and gas that stretches behind the comet as it travels through space

tail

Where is our solar system?

Inside one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way