Go back. Click What is the period of a comet? Read about the frequency of comets.
Go back. Find out more by clicking and reading What are Meteors? and Origin of Meteors.
About the Site
This is a Web page from a larger ThinkQuest project on astronomy. ThinkQuest is the non-profit organization that sponsors international online competitions for student teams to create Web sites. This Comets and Meteors site also has information about well-known comets and a table of yearly meteor showers. You may want to have students investigate those links as well as other astronomy links from the home page. Preview the site to better direct research.
What to Do
Discuss the reasons why comets have fascinated and frightened people for thousands of years.
Discuss when a shooting star should be called a comet and when it should be called a meteor.
Direct students to other links of interest from the Astronomy page.
Read the page to tell the difference between comets, meteors and asteroids.
In the Meteor section's Example #1, click meteor to watch the video.
At Example #2, click movie of a fireball to watch another video.
About the Site
At Gary W. Kronk's Comets & Meteor Showers, a site sponsored by the American Meteor Society, students can learn the difference between meteors, asteroids, and comets. Discuss and help them understand the differences.
What to Do
As students read the descriptions, it may be helpful for them to construct a simple comparison chart.
After seeing the videos of "shooting stars," students may also enjoy viewing the videos of asteroids and comets. Click any examples under the two main headings to watch.
