The main difference between comet and meteor is that a comet is a cosmic object made of ice, gases, rock and dust that orbits the Sun while a meteor is a meteoroid that has entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, and asteroids are all objects that originate in the space. Some people tend to confuse meteors with comets, but they are two different things. Comets are visible even when they are very far away from Earth, but when we see meteors, they are already in Earth’s atmosphere.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is a Comet
– Definition, Characteristics
2. What is a Meteor
– Definition, Characteristics
3. Difference Between Comet and Meteor
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Comet, Meteor
What is a Comet
A comet is a cosmic object made of ice, gases, rock and dust that orbits the Sun. The core of a comet mainly consists of ice and dust. According to NASA, this ice mainly composed of frozen water, but there can be other frozen substances as well, like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and methane. When a comet’s orbit comes close to the Sun, the ice in the core of the comet begins to heat up and releases dust and gasses, forming a huge glowing atmosphere around the comet nucleus. We call this a coma. As the gas and dust in the coma flow freely into space, the comet forms two tails: one made of dust and one made of ionized molecules and radicals. The tails always point away from the Sun and can stretch for millions of miles.
There are many comets orbiting our Sun. Most comets are too small to see without the use of a telescope. However, we can see some of them with the naked eye when they pass close to the Sun. This is because their tails and comas reflect sunlight and glow. Moreover, the trail of debris comets leaves behind can result in meteor showers on Earth.
What is a Meteor
A meteor is a meteoroid that has entered the Earth’s atmosphere. Therefore, it’s important to learn about meteoroids before learning about meteors. A meteoroid is a small metal or rocky object that orbits the Sun. A meteoroid originates from an asteroid or comet. If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it vaporizes and becomes a meteor. This appears as a streak of light in the sky.
Since meteors appear like streaks of light, we also call them shooting stars. But they are not actually stars. Some people also confuse meteors with comets, but they are two different things. Comets don’t enter the atmosphere of Earth while meteors are already in our atmosphere when we see them.
Difference Between Comet and Meteor
Definition
A comet is a cosmic object made of ice, gases, rock and dust that orbits the Sun while a meteor is a meteoroid that has entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Distance
A comet is visible even when it’s very far away from Earth, but when we see meteors, they are already in Earth’s atmosphere.
Use of Telescope
Most comets are not visible to the naked eye and require viewing through telescopes, but you don’t need a telescope to watch a meteor shower.
Conclusion
A comet is a cosmic object made of ice, gases, rock and dust that orbits the Sun while a meteor is a meteoroid that has entered the Earth’s atmosphere. Therefore, a comet is visible even when it’s very far away from Earth, but when we see meteors, they are already in Earth’s atmosphere. Thus, this is the main difference between comet and meteor.
Reference:
1. Choi, Charles Q. “Comets: Facts About The ‘Dirty Snowballs’ of Space.” Space.com, 24 Oct. 2017, Available here.
2. “Asteroid or Meteor: What’s the Difference?” SpacePlace, NASA, 3 June 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Comet Hale-Bopp 1995O1” By E. Kolmhofer, H. Raab; Johannes-Kepler-Observatory, Linz, Austria – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Leonid Meteor” By Navicore – Own work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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