Debris

• Asteroids

• Comets

All can potentially become meteorites (shooting stars)

The solar system’s very own “left-overs.”

Pockets form from intense heat of entry into our atmosphere

Iron Meteorite

Meteorites

Stony Meteorites

Asteroid Belt

Asteroid Figure 26-16

AsteroidsAsteroid Gaspra versus Mar’s moons Pheobos and Diemos

Suspicious Asteroid Dactyl

Suspicious Asteroid Dactyl“Open the Pod Bay Doors, Hal.”

America From Space

Crater Remnant From Space

Meteor Crater, Arizona

Impact Site, Austrialia

Impact Site, Siberia

Ancient Impact Site

Ancient Impact Crater

Twin Impacts in Canada

Dinosaur Killer

Dinosaur Killer Beneath Gulf of Mexico

Meteor Shower Radiant

Comet Hyakutake 1996

Meteor Showers

Table 26.1Meteor Shower Dates and Comet Coincidences

Kirkwood GapsResonances with the Orbit of Jupiter

Figure 26-12

Cometary OriginsThe Oort Cloud

Comet Capture

Multiple Impact Site

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

Comet ImpactComets are likely

responsible for bringing

the materials necessary

for life to evolve on

earth.

(water, ices and

organic molecules)

Icy Meteorites (Comets)

A Tale of TailsI. Gas Tail Points Away From

The Solar Wind

(charged particles, ions)

II. Dust Tail Points Along

The Orbital Path

(neutral debris, dust)

Hale Bopp

Comet Tail Evolution

Comet HalleyNucleus and Chemical Composition

Comet Discovery

Web ResourcesComet Observations

http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov

Minor Planet Center

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfs/ps/mpc.html

Satellite Tracking Information

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/rocket_sci/satellites

http://www2.satellite.eu.org/sat/vsohp/satintro.html