Asteroids and comets are celestial bodies. These celestial bodies do not have a usual orbit and sometimes they move closely around the Earth or any other planets. Although they are different in terms of their compositions, both of them are formed from the materials which were there at the time when our solar system was formed.
As you will go through this article, you will get to know what are the differences between them in terms of their composition, if they are having the same type of orbit or not, how they are different in terms of their orbital period and so on.
Let’s have a look.
Asteroids
They are the celestial bodies made up of metals as well as rocky materials.. These bodies revolve around the sun and they are smaller in size compared to the planets. If we talk about the orbits of the asteroids, they tend to be shorter and circular in shape.There are variations in size of the comets, some of them are found too large as if their size can be hundreds of kilometers whereas some of the asteroids are as small as dust particles.
If we see our solar system in the current context, there exists an asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars where millions of asteroids of different sizes may exist in that belt. Since they are made of rocks and metals mainly thus they remain solid if they stray closer to the sun.
Comets
They are the celestial bodies made up of ice, rocky materials and some organic materials. They too revolve around the sun and they are smaller in size compared to the planets. As far as the orbits of the comets are concerned, they are elongated and very extended orbital shaped in nature.
In our solar system, these comets lie at a farther distance from the sun.
Since, composition wise, comets are having ice in their composition, so if they revolve near around the sun, the ice melts and evaporates and few more materials evaporate because of the heat of the sun. Coma is created due to the ice, ammonia and methane, which creates a cloud-like shell which is fuzzy in nature. When these comets revolve near to the sun and the ice, along with few more materials evaporate, it glows like a halo while moving in space.
Comets have a tail like structure, which is formed because of the radiation pressure of the Sun and the solar wind exerts some force on the Coma, which results in this elongated tail like structure.
It is believed by the scientists that, generally, asteroids are formed in the nearer part of the sun as they can remain solid if they revolve near the sun while comets are formed in the farther region of the Sun in the solar system thus they are able to retain the ice.
Difference between Asteroids and Comets
| Asteroids | Comets |
|---|---|
| 1. They have a shorter and circular orbit. | 1. They have extended and elongated elliptical orbits. |
| 2. The composition of asteroids consists mainly of metals, rocks. | 2. The composition of comets consists mainly of ice, dust and organic compounds. |
| 3. They do not have a tail shape | 3. They have a tail shape. |
| 4. It does not produce any coma. | 4. It produces a coma. |
| 5. They lie in the region of the solar system which is near to the Sun majorly. | 5. They lie in a region of the solar system which is far from the Sun majorly. |
| 6. The orbital period of the asteroids lies between 1 to 100 years. | 6. The orbital period of the comets lies between 1 to 10 years. |
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The asteroids and comets are the smaller celestial orbits, which revolve around the sun in unusual orbits. Asteroids are mainly made up of rocks and metals whereas comets are made up of dust, ice and some organic materials. Comets have a tail like structure, which is formed because of the radiation pressure of the Sun and the solar wind exerts some force on the Coma, which results in this elongated tail like structure. Asteroids Comets 1. They have a shorter and circular orbit. 1. They have extended and elongated elliptical orbits. 2. The composition of asteroids consists mainly of metals, rocks. 2. The composition of comets consists mainly of ice, dust and organic compounds. 3. They do not have a tail shape 3. They have a tail shape. Asteroids are mainly located in the region which is nearer to the sun in the solar system, whereas comets lie mainly in the region which is farther to the sun in the solar system. Asteroid and Comet Difference FAQs
What are the asteroids and comets?
Why do comets have a tail-like structure?
Mention any three differences between comets and asteroids.
Where are the asteroids and comets majorly located in the solar system?
