Comet

A chunk of ice and rock that orbits a star. In our solar system, the majority of comets orbit well beyond Pluto, in regions known as the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. Most comets are no more than a few miles in diameter. Upon close encounters with the Sun, comet ices vaporize, creating a coma, or cloud, around the comet, and a long tail that always points away from the Sun.

Radio Programs

Star Travels A fanciful design for a starship Sunday, July 24, 2011
Great Comet of 1861 A "fearful" cometary spectacle Thursday, June 30, 2011
Halley's Armada An armada takes aim at Halley's Comet Saturday, March 5, 2011
Comet Encounter Returning to the scene of a wreck Monday, February 14, 2011
Leonid Meteors Enjoying an astronomical light show Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Comet Encore A gentle encounter with a comet Thursday, November 4, 2010
Halley's Comet III Ganging up on Halley's Comet Thursday, May 13, 2010
Halley's Comet II Hiding from a "gassy" visitor Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Halley's Comet Fear and favor in the heavens Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Comets Taking a census of the solar system Monday, May 10, 2010
More Leonid Meteors
Leonid Meteors
Orionid Meteors
Perseid Meteors

Featured Images

Illustration showing the Great Comet of 1861
 Great Comet Thursday, June 30, 2011
Giotto spacecraft view of Halley's Comet, March 1986
 Halley's Armada Saturday, March 5, 2011
Comet Tempel 1 as seen by the Stardust spacecraft, February 14, 2011
 Close Cometary Encounter Thursday, February 17, 2011
Comet Tempel-1 from the Stardust spacecraft, February 14, 2011
 Second Glance Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Comet Hartley-2 from Deep Impact Spacecraft
 Fowl Comet? Friday, November 5, 2010
Deep Impact view of Comet Hartley-2
 Closing In Thursday, November 4, 2010
Comet Hartley-2 from McDonald Observatory
 Jolly Green Comet Thursday, October 21, 2010
Infrared view of Comet Hartley 2 from WISE
 Heading for a Rendezvous Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Halley's Comet streaks across the sky
 Look! It's Halley's Comet! Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Impact! Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Jovian Smash-up Monday, July 27, 2009

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