Post by 1dave on Oct 11, 2020 19:12:02 GMT -7
abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast121/lectures/lec18.html
PLUS comets are constantly shedding material as they are heated by the sun and having collisions with other "stuff."
Example:
Halley - - - Eta Aquarids - - May 5
Halley - - - Orionids - - - - October 21
Asteroids
Meteors often occur in showers and swarms. A meteor shower or swarm is visible as an increase in the number of ``shooting stars'' (meteors burning up as they hit the Earth's atmosphere) during certain times of the year. The showers often last for a couple weeks, with peaks of a couple days.
The reason for meteor showers and swarms is shown below. Old comets breakdown into individual rocks over time (several thousand years). These rocks are clustered together at first as a swarm, then later spread out along the old comet orbit. When the Earth passes through the old orbit it encounters a fraction of the meteors causing a shower or swarm.
The reason for meteor showers and swarms is shown below. Old comets breakdown into individual rocks over time (several thousand years). These rocks are clustered together at first as a swarm, then later spread out along the old comet orbit. When the Earth passes through the old orbit it encounters a fraction of the meteors causing a shower or swarm.
PLUS comets are constantly shedding material as they are heated by the sun and having collisions with other "stuff."
Example:
Halley - - - Eta Aquarids - - May 5
Halley - - - Orionids - - - - October 21
Asteroids
Trojan Family:
Asteroids are gathered into ``families'' based on their orbital characteristics.
The Trojan family of asteroids are located at either the leading or trailing Lagrangian points in Jupiter's orbit. These are two stable points in the gravitational attraction between Jupiter and the Sun. Both points are populated with a cluster of asteroids that have been captured in these stable points over the life of the Solar System.
Asteroids are gathered into ``families'' based on their orbital characteristics.
The Trojan family of asteroids are located at either the leading or trailing Lagrangian points in Jupiter's orbit. These are two stable points in the gravitational attraction between Jupiter and the Sun. Both points are populated with a cluster of asteroids that have been captured in these stable points over the life of the Solar System.