Asteroids and Comets

Our final section in our study of the solar system involves solar system debris, mainly asteroids, and comets along with other icy bodies that live in the outer reaches of the system, including Pluto. These objects provide us with much useful information regarding the early stages of our solar system. Comets are small, dark, icy bodies. Some have very elliptical orbits which occasionally brings them into very close proximity to the sun. When the sun warms them, they develop long streaming tails.


Comet Lovejoy