Comets interesting facts available for children. Solar system. Comets. Heavenly wanderers. The speed of particle movement in a comet's tail

Since ancient times, people have sought to uncover the secrets that the sky holds. Since the first telescope was created, scientists have been gradually collecting grains of knowledge that are hidden in the boundless expanses of space. It's time to find out where the messengers from space - comets and meteorites - came from.

What is a comet?

If we examine the meaning of the word "comet", we come to its ancient Greek equivalent. Literally it means “with long hair.” Thus, the name was given in view of the structure of this Comet, which has a “head” and a long “tail” - a kind of “hair”. The head of a comet consists of a nucleus and perinuclear substances. The loose core may contain water, as well as gases such as methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide. The comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, discovered on October 23, 1969, has the same structure.

How the comet was previously represented

In ancient times, our ancestors revered her and invented various superstitions. Even now there are those who associate the appearance of comets with something ghostly and mysterious. Such people may think that they are wanderers from another world of souls. Where did this come from? Perhaps the whole point is that the appearance of these heavenly creatures ever coincided with some unkind incident.

However, as time passed, the idea of ​​what small and large comets were changed. For example, a scientist like Aristotle, studying their nature, decided that it was a luminous gas. After a while, another philosopher named Seneca, who lived in Rome, suggested that comets are bodies in the sky moving in their orbits. However, real progress in their study was achieved only after the creation of the telescope. When Newton discovered the law of gravity, things took off.

Current ideas about comets

Today, scientists have already established that comets consist of a solid core (from 1 to 20 km in thickness). What does the comet's nucleus consist of? From a mixture of frozen water and cosmic dust. In 1986, photographs of one of the comets were taken. It became clear that its fiery tail is an emission of a stream of gas and dust, which we can observe from the earth's surface. For what reason does this “fiery” emission occur? If an asteroid flies very close to the Sun, then its surface heats up, which leads to the release of dust and gas. Solar energy exerts pressure on the solid material that makes up the comet. As a result, a fiery tail of dust is formed. This debris and dust is part of the trail that we see in the sky when we observe the movement of comets.

What determines the shape of a comet's tail?

The post on comets below will help you better understand what comets are and how they work. They come in different varieties, with tails of all sorts of shapes. It's all about the natural composition of the particles that make up this or that tail. Very small particles quickly fly away from the Sun, and larger ones, on the contrary, tend to the star. What is the reason? It turns out that the former move away, pushed by solar energy, while the latter are affected by the gravitational force of the Sun. As a result of these physical laws, we get comets whose tails are curved in different ways. Those tails that are largely composed of gases will be directed away from the star, while corpuscular tails (consisting mainly of dust), on the contrary, will tend to the Sun. What can you say about the density of a comet's tail? Cloud tails can typically measure millions of kilometers, in some cases hundreds of millions. This means that, unlike the body of a comet, its tail consists largely of discharged particles, having practically no density. When an asteroid approaches the Sun, the comet's tail can bifurcate and acquire a complex structure.

The speed of particle movement in a comet's tail

Measuring the speed of movement in a comet's tail is not so easy, since we cannot see individual particles. However, there are cases when the speed of movement of matter in the tail can be determined. Sometimes gas clouds can condense there. From their movement, the approximate speed can be calculated. So, the forces moving the comet are so great that the speed can be 100 times greater than the gravity of the Sun.

How much does a comet weigh?

The entire mass of comets largely depends on the weight of the comet's head, or more precisely, its nucleus. Presumably, the small comet could weigh only a few tons. Whereas, according to forecasts, large asteroids can reach a weight of 1,000,000,000,000 tons.

What are meteors

Sometimes one of the comets passes through the Earth's orbit, leaving a trail of debris in its wake. When our planet passes by the place where the comet was, these debris and cosmic dust remaining from it enter the atmosphere at great speed. This speed reaches more than 70 kilometers per second. When the comet's fragments burn up in the atmosphere, we see a beautiful trail. This phenomenon is called meteors (or meteorites).

Age of comets

Fresh asteroids of enormous size can survive in space for trillions of years. However, comets, like any other one, cannot exist forever. The more often they approach the Sun, the more they lose the solid and gaseous substances that make up their composition. “Young” comets can lose a lot of weight until a kind of protective crust forms on their surface, which prevents further evaporation and burning out. However, the “young” comet ages, and the nucleus becomes decrepit and loses its weight and size. Thus, the surface crust acquires many wrinkles, cracks and breaks. Gas streams, burning, push the body of the comet forward and forward, giving speed to this traveler.

Halley's Comet

Another comet, the structure is the same as the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko, is an asteroid, discovered. He realized that comets have long elliptical orbits along which they move at large intervals of time. He compared comets that were observed from the earth in 1531, 1607 and 1682. It turned out that it was the same comet, which moved along its trajectory after a period of time equal to approximately 75 years. In the end, she was named after the scientist himself.

Comets in the Solar System

We are in the solar system. At least 1000 comets have been found near us. They are divided into two families, and they, in turn, are divided into classes. To classify comets, scientists take into account their characteristics: the time it takes them to travel the entire path in their orbit, as well as the period from orbit. If we take Halley's Comet mentioned earlier as an example, it completes a full revolution around the sun in less than 200 years. It belongs to periodic comets. However, there are those that cover the entire path in much shorter periods of time - the so-called short-period comets. We can be sure that in our solar system there are a huge number of periodic comets, the orbits of which pass around our star. Such celestial bodies can move so far from the center of our system that they leave Uranus, Neptune and Pluto behind. Sometimes they can come very close to planets, causing their orbits to change. An example is

Comet Information: Long Period

The trajectory of long-period comets is very different from short-period comets. They go around the Sun from all sides. For example, Heyakutake and Hale-Bopp. The latter looked very spectacular when they approached our planet for the last time. Scientists have calculated that the next time they can be seen from Earth will be thousands of years later. A lot of comets with a long period of movement can be found at the edge of our solar system. Back in the mid-20th century, a Dutch astronomer suggested the existence of a cluster of comets. Over time, the existence of a cometary cloud was proven, which is known today as the “Oort Cloud” and was named after the scientist who discovered it. How many comets are there in the Oort Cloud? According to some assumptions, at least a trillion. The period of movement of some of these comets can be several light years. In this case, the comet will cover its entire path in 10,000,000 years!

Fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Reports of comets from all over the world help in their research. Astronomers could observe a very interesting and impressive vision in 1994. More than 20 fragments remaining from Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter at crazy speed (approximately 200,000 kilometers per hour). Asteroids flew into the planet's atmosphere with flashes and huge explosions. The hot gas caused the formation of very large fire spheres. The temperature to which the chemical elements were heated was several times higher than the temperature recorded on the surface of the Sun. After which a very high column of gas could be seen through telescopes. Its height reached enormous dimensions - 3200 kilometers.

Comet Biela - a double comet

As we have already learned, there is plenty of evidence that comets break up over time. Because of this, they lose their brightness and beauty. There is only one example of such a case that can be considered - Biela's comet. It was first discovered in 1772. However, it was subsequently noticed more than once again in 1815, then in 1826 and in 1832. When it was observed in 1845, it turned out that the comet looked much larger than before. Six months later it turned out that it was not one, but two comets that were walking next to each other. What happened? Astronomers have determined that a year ago the Biela asteroid split in two. This is the last time scientists have recorded the appearance of this miracle comet. One part of it was much brighter than the other. She was never seen again. However, over time, a meteor shower, the orbit of which exactly coincided with the orbit of Comet Biela, caught the eye more than once. This incident proved that comets are capable of disintegrating over time.

What happens during a collision

For our planet, a meeting with these celestial bodies does not bode well. A large piece of comet or meteorite, approximately 100 meters in size, exploded high in the atmosphere in June 1908. As a result of this disaster, many reindeer died and two thousand kilometers of taiga were destroyed. What would happen if such a rock exploded over a large city such as New York or Moscow? This would cost the lives of millions of people. What would happen if a comet with a diameter of several kilometers hit the Earth? As mentioned above, in mid-July 1994 it was “bombarded” with debris from comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. Millions of scientists watched what was happening. How would such a collision end for our planet?

Comets and the Earth - ideas of scientists

Information about comets known to scientists sows fear in their hearts. Astronomers and analysts paint terrible pictures in their minds with horror - a collision with a comet. When an asteroid enters the atmosphere, it will cause destruction within the cosmic body. It will explode with a deafening sound, and on Earth you can see a column of meteorite debris - dust and stones. The sky will be covered in a fiery red glow. There will be no vegetation left on Earth, since all forests, fields and meadows will be destroyed due to the explosion and fragments. Due to the fact that the atmosphere will become impenetrable to sunlight, it will become sharply cold, and plants will not be able to carry out photosynthesis. This will disrupt the feeding cycles of marine life. Being without food for a long time, many of them will die. All of the above events will also affect natural cycles. Widespread acid rain will have a detrimental effect on the ozone layer, making it impossible to breathe on our planet. What will happen if a comet falls into one of the oceans? Then this can lead to disastrous environmental disasters: the formation of tornadoes and tsunamis. The only difference will be that these cataclysms will be on a much larger scale than those that we could experience in several thousand years of human history. Huge waves of hundreds or thousands of meters will sweep away everything in their path. There will be nothing left of towns and cities.

"No need to worry"

Other scientists, on the contrary, say that there is no need to worry about such cataclysms. According to them, if the Earth comes close to a celestial asteroid, this will only lead to illumination of the sky and meteor shower. Should we worry about the future of our planet? Is it likely that we will ever be met by a flying comet?

Comet fall. Should you be afraid?

Can you trust everything that scientists present? Do not forget that all the information about comets recorded above is just theoretical assumptions that cannot be verified. Of course, such fantasies can sow panic in the hearts of people, but the likelihood that something similar will ever happen on Earth is negligible. Scientists who study our solar system are amazed at how well thought out everything is in its design. It is difficult for meteorites and comets to reach our planet because it is protected by a giant shield. The planet Jupiter, due to its size, has enormous gravity. Therefore, it often protects our Earth from passing asteroids and comet remnants. The location of our planet leads many to believe that the entire device was thought out and designed in advance. And if this is so, and you are not a zealous atheist, then you can sleep peacefully, because the Creator will undoubtedly preserve the Earth for the purpose for which he created it.

Names of the most famous

Reports about comets from various scientists from all over the world make up a huge database of information about cosmic bodies. Among the particularly well-known are several. For example, comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko. In addition, in this article we could get acquainted with comet Fumeaker-Levy 9 and comets Encke and Halley. In addition to them, comet Sadulayev is known not only to sky researchers, but also to amateurs. In this article, we tried to provide the most complete and verified information about comets, their structure and contact with other celestial bodies. However, just as it is impossible to embrace all the expanses of space, it will not be possible to describe or list all currently known comets. Brief information about the comets of the Solar System is presented in the illustration below.

Sky exploration

The knowledge of scientists, of course, does not stand still. What we know now was not known to us some 100 or even 10 years ago. We can be sure that man's tireless desire to explore the vastness of space will continue to push him to try to understand the structure of celestial bodies: meteorites, comets, asteroids, planets, stars and other more powerful objects. We have now penetrated into such vastness of space that contemplating its immensity and unknowability is awe-inspiring. Many agree that all this could not have appeared on its own and without a purpose. Such a complex design must have an intention. However, many questions related to the structure of space remain unanswered. It seems that the more we learn, the more reasons we have to explore further. In fact, the more information we acquire, the more we understand that we do not know our Solar System, our Galaxy, and even more so the Universe. However, all this does not stop astronomers, and they continue to struggle with the mysteries of existence. Each comet flying nearby is of particular interest to them.

Computer program “Space Engine”

Fortunately, today not only astronomers can explore the Universe, but also ordinary people whose curiosity prompts them to do so. Not long ago, a program for computers called “Space Engine” was released. It is supported by most modern mid-range computers. It can be downloaded and installed completely free of charge using an Internet search. Thanks to this program, information about comets will also be very interesting for children. It presents a model of the entire Universe, including all comets and celestial bodies that are known to modern scientists today. To find a space object of interest to us, for example, a comet, we can use the oriented search built into the system. For example, you need comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko. In order to find it, you need to enter its serial number 67 R. If you are interested in another object, for example, comet Sadulayev. Then you can try entering its name in Latin or entering its special number. Thanks to this program you can learn more about space comets.

The largest collection of amazing information about celestial bodies. Interesting facts about comets and asteroids will open you up to a whole new world that you never knew existed.

Translated from Greek, “comet” means “long-haired,” since ancient people associated a star with a long tail with hair blowing in the wind.

Comets are dirty ice

A comet's tail only forms when it is in close proximity to the Sun. Far from this celestial body, comets appear as icy, dark objects.

90% of a comet is ice, dirt and dust. In the center is a stone core. As it approaches the Sun, the ice melts, forming a dust cloud behind it. This is the tail we see.

Incredible amount

The smallest comets reach a core diameter of 16 km. The largest recorded is 40 km. The length of the tails can be very long. For example, comet Hyakutake's tail length was 580 million km.

A cluster of comets can number in the trillions. This is exactly what is found in the Oort Cloud, a cluster surrounding the Solar System. Within the solar system, astrologers count at least 4,000 comets.

Jupiter, as the largest planet in the solar system, is capable of changing the direction of comets by the force of its gravity. So, one day comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into the atmosphere of Jupiter.

Shapeless asteroids

Cosmic bodies form a spherical shape under the influence of their gravity. Asteroids are too small to form a sphere, so they look like ellipsoids or dumbbells.

Integrity of form is rare for an asteroid. More often it is a pile of compounds, which is held by its own gravity. The accumulations contain coal, stone, iron, and volcanic materials.

The diameter of the largest asteroid, Caecesere, is 950 km.

If an asteroid enters a planet's atmosphere, it is a meteor. If it falls to the ground, then it is a meteorite.

Is there a threat to us?

Asteroids pose a potential threat to the planet, but modern technology can easily prevent this.

To imagine how an asteroid falls onto the surface of a planet, look

Comet Lovejoy. In November 2011, Australian astronomer Terry Lovejoy discovered one of the largest comets of the circumsolar Kreutz group, with a diameter of about 500 meters. It flew through the solar corona and did not burn up, was clearly visible from Earth and was even photographed from the ISS.

Comet McNaught. The first brightest comet of the 21st century, also called the "Great Comet of 2007". Discovered by astronomer Robert McNaught in 2006. In January and February 2007, it was clearly visible to the naked eye for residents of the planet's southern hemisphere. The comet's next return is not coming soon - in 92,600 years.

Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp appeared one after another in 1996 and 1997, competing in brightness. If comet Hale-Bopp was discovered back in 1995 and flew strictly “on schedule,” Hyakutake was discovered only a couple of months before its approach to the Earth.

Comet Lexel. In 1770, comet D/1770 L1, discovered by Russian astronomer Andrei Ivanovich Leksel, passed at a record close distance from Earth - only 1.4 million kilometers. This is about four times farther than the Moon is from us. The comet was visible to the naked eye.

1948 Eclipse Comet. On November 1, 1948, during a total solar eclipse, astronomers unexpectedly discovered a bright comet not far from the Sun. Officially named C/1948 V1, it was the last “sudden” comet of our time. It could be seen with the naked eye until the end of the year.

The big January 1910 comet appeared in the sky a couple of months before Halley's Comet, which everyone was waiting for. The new comet was first noticed by miners from diamond mines in Africa on January 12, 1910. Like many super-bright comets, it was visible even during the day.

The Great March Comet of 1843 is also a member of the Kreutz family of circumsolar comets. It flew only 830 thousand km. from the center of the Sun and was clearly visible from Earth. Its tail is one of the longest among all known comets, two astronomical units (1 AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Sun).

The Great September Comet of 1882 is the brightest comet of the 19th century and is also a member of the Kreutz family. It is notable for its long “anti-tail” directed towards the Sun.

The Great Comet of 1680, also known as Kirch's Comet, or Newton's Comet. The first comet discovered using a telescope, one of the brightest comets of the 17th century. Isaac Newton studied the orbit of this comet to confirm Kepler's laws.

Halley's Comet is by far the most famous of all periodic comets. It visits the Solar System every 75-76 years and is clearly visible to the naked eye each time. Its orbit was calculated by the English astronomer Edmund Halley, who also predicted its return in 1759. In 1986, spacecraft explored it, collecting a lot of data on the structure of comets. The next appearance of Halley's Comet will be in 2061.

Of course, there always remains the risk of some stray comet colliding with the Earth, which would entail incredible destruction and the probable death of civilization, but so far this is just a frightening theory. The brightest comets can be visible even during the day, presenting a stunning spectacle. Here are ten of the most famous comets in human history.

Everything that happens in the sky has long interested man. Comets flying across the sky usually inspired fear and awe. Let's get acquainted with interesting facts about comets.

Under the influence of gravity, most comets leave the solar system over millions of years. Losing their ice, they break apart as they move.

The Chinese were the first to document the appearance of Halley's Comet. It started in 240 BC.

While telling interesting facts about comets, it is necessary to explain the word comet itself. To the ancient Greeks, comets resembled stars flying across the sky with their hair flowing. The word "comet" comes from the Greek word for "long-haired."

A change in the direction of flight of comets can occur for several reasons. When they pass close enough to the planet, the path of motion may change slightly under its influence. The planet most suitable for changing the path of a comet is Jupiter. This is the largest planet. Spacecraft and telescopes were able to capture an image of a comet that crashed when it collided with Jupiter's atmosphere. Her name is Shoemaker-Levy 9. Sometimes comets moving towards the Sun hit it exactly.

Traveling for more than 4.5 billion years, comets are made of dust, ice, rocky material and gases brought from the far depths of the solar system.

Comets, like the planets of the solar system, rotate around the Sun.

Comets located far from the Sun do not have a tail. As they approach the Sun, under the ever-increasing influence of its heat, the melting of the comet's nucleus begins. The solar wind blows the comet's tail from the molten core.

Comets that are far from the sun are cold and completely dark objects. The nucleus contains 90% of the comet's total mass. In its center is a small stone core. The remaining components are ice, dirt and dust. Ice is a mixture of frozen water with admixtures of ammonia, methane and carbon.

Comets are so small relative to the universe that scientists have not yet observed them outside our solar system.

Astronomers have found that there are about two million comets in the solar system. An average of five new comets are discovered each year. The total number of registered comets exceeds three thousand.

We invite you to watch an interesting video where you can see how a huge comet rammed the sun:

1. A comet is a cosmic body that exists within the Solar System, moving in orbit around the Sun. Comets appeared with the emergence of the solar system four and a half billion years ago..
2. The name is of Greek origin. “Comet” is a Greek word that means “long-tailed,” since this body was so anciently associated with people whose hair fluttered in a strong wind. The closest point of the orbit in relation to the Sun is perihelion, the farthest point is aphelion.
3. Comet - dirty snow. Chemical composition: water, methandrostenolone, frozen ammonia, dust, stones, space debris. The tail part appears when it is closest to the Sun. At a considerable distance, it looks like a dark object, representing a clot of ice. The central part is represented by a stone core. It has a dark surface, its composition is precisely unknown.
4. As the comet approaches the Sun, it heats up and melts. Melting ice as it approaches the sun leads to the formation of a dust cloud, which creates a tail effect. When approaching the luminary, the body heats up, causing the process of sublimation. When ice is close to the surface, it heats up and creates a jet, erupting like a geyser.
5. There are many comets. The smallest of them has a core with a diameter of sixteen kilometers, the largest - forty. The size of the tail reaches enormous sizes. Hyakutake has a tail of five hundred and eighty million kilometers. In the “Oort Cloud”, which envelops space, several trillion copies can be counted. There are about four thousand comets in total.
6. Jupiter can influence the movement of comets. The largest planet is able to influence the direction of movement of these celestial bodies. The planet's gravitational force is so strong that Shoemaker Levy 9 was destroyed when it hit the planet's atmosphere.
7. Under the influence of gravity, a tailed comet takes on the shape of a sphere.. The asteroid is quite small to form a sphere, resembling a dumbbell shape. Asteroids accumulate in piles, containing materials of various origins. The largest, Casetere, is nine hundred and fifty kilometers in diameter. An asteroid that enters the planetary atmosphere is called a meteor; when it falls to the ground, it is a meteorite.
8. Comet is a potential threat to earthlings. Our civilization could be destroyed by a meteor with a diameter of one kilometer. Continued research is needed to understand the nature of tailed insects and to design optimal methods of protection against them. Even in ancient times, these bodies were considered a sign that could bring disaster.
9. Halley's Comet periodically visits the Solar System. In 1910, Comet Halley passed close to the Earth, which enters the solar system every 76 years. Some enterprising businessmen used this fact to increase the number of sales of gas masks, comet remedies, and umbrellas.
10. Comets usually have two tails. The first, dust, can be observed with the naked eye. The second tail consists of gases, stretching up to three hundred and sixty miles. The ion tail is the result of the influence of the solar wind. The orbit of comets resembles an elliptical shape. As the body approaches the Sun, the icy component begins to heat up, causing evaporation. The gases and dust form a cloud called a coma, which moves behind the body. As it moves towards the star, dust and debris are blown off the body, forming a dust tail.
11. The farther from the Sun, the more the comet is an ordinary stone block. The gas tail becomes visible under the influence of solar radiation. As it moves away from the Sun, the body cools, leaving only an icy core.
12. Scientists suggest that comets brought water to Earth. Water could have come to the globe from a comet, as well as many organic substances. They were the means of the origin of life.
13. Some scientists believe that sixty-five million years ago a large asteroid may have touched the surface, causing the dinosaurs to become extinct.
14. Comets are subject to extinction or departure from the solar system. They leave the system or melt as they are repeatedly exposed to heat.
15. Only once a decade can we observe a comet in the sky. The comet's tail can be observed for several days or even weeks.