Meteorites, Asteroids, Comets and the Kuiper Belt

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Meteorites, asteroids, comets and the kuiper belt

A Meteor is a beam of light that is produced from the fragmentation of a portion of the solar system to the surface of the earth.

A meteorite is a planet body that is in constant contact with the sun. These objects have qualities of the most significant heavenly bodies. Despite this, they are too small to be classified as such thus the name meteorite.

A comet is composed of gas which is stored in a frozen state. When the comet gets close to the sun, the gas reacts with the heat causing the comet to produce grains which are responsible for the light rays (Lunar and planetary science, p.1).

A Kuiper belt is a disc like feature which contains icy bodies, located next to the orbit of Neptune. The belt reacts with the other planets causing it to leave its original position and cross over to the orbit of Neptune.

Near earth asteroids levy 9

The levy 9 is one of the most memorable incidents that display the impact of these bodies into the sun or any other planet. The comet hit the surface of the planet at 20, 000 degrees causing a massive fireball. This occurrence is one of the memorable impacts of the bodies (Chapter 12, Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets 238-257).

Movies of the comets impact on the earth, Jupiter and the sun.

There are few movies that have been made in honor of these occurrences. Despite this, the few that have been made have been highly successful in that they created awareness of the some of the impacts. The two movies that address these phenomena are Armageddon and Deep impact. Both movies are similar in that they were made at the same year. These movies are fiction versions that are made in response to the occurrences such as the levy 9 and other similar events.

List favorite object that you interested

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/meteor.htm

My favorite object is the meteorite. The reason I am intrigued by this body is its quality to break away from the sun. The sun produces powerful rays that cannot be viewed by the naked eye. The separation of a small portion of the sun is pivotal in that it is the only contact that human beings have with the sun.

2, a. Is a comets or meteorites impact on earth likely to be like the movie Armageddon? (Possible or probable)

The impact of a comet or a meteorite is not likely to be like the one in the movie. These particles are very small some of which can be compared to dust particles and small stones. The impact can be is determined by the distance of the body and the speed at which it is travelling. Most of the physical impacts have been seen in the formation of craters which take up the shape of the body. It is thus, not probable for a comet to cause the impact like the movie Armageddon.

2, b. Who or what would survive that impact

It is difficult to gauge who would survive this impact due to the large geographic nature of the earth. In the case of the animals, the cockroach would be the only animal to survive this impact. Cockroaches are known to have the survival skills required to sustain themselves in case harsh conditions are inflicted on the surface of the earth.

2, c. What can earthlings do to increase their rate of survival?

Earthlings can study the reactions of the other bodies on the earth and other heavenly bodies. All these bodies have reacted differently on their arrival on the earth. This will enable scientist to formulate survival tactics that are applicable on the occurrences of such an event.

Works cited

Lunar and planetary science.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planets/asteroidpage.html

web.3. October.2011.

Chapter 12, Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets. p, 238-257.