are they also in a gravitaional rotation of the sun and if so shouldn't we be worried about a possible impact with one at some point in the future, not to say near future but ever.
2006-10-21 16:58:01 · 12 answers · asked by aaron5179 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Yes it does orbit the sun.
2006-10-21 17:00:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comets are in orbit around the sun and their orbits are very elliptical. That's why they pass more than once. As the scientists say about an impact with one: it's not "if" it's "when". The government is working on plans in case something like that happens. NASA sent a probe to impact a comet so they can study what comets are made of.
2006-10-21 17:59:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Comets are in irregular, elliptical orbits around the sun. There is a possibility in the future of a comet hitting Earth.
2006-10-21 17:12:58 · answer #3 · answered by bldudas 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, we're in orbit, they're in orbit. Any object that has mass is probably in orbit. The only way it can't is to be moving very, very fast.
Collisions are rare because everything is so small compared to the size of their orbits. Consider, earth's orbit is 232,500 times as wide as it is. Comets and asteroids are far smaller. And they usually orbit in a different plane. There are extremely few points where they can intersect, and only when they are both at those points at exactly the same time. So, it's possible but unlikely.
2006-10-21 17:05:56 · answer #4 · answered by skepsis 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
every body near the sun revolves around it, plants and comets. we certainly should worry about a possible impact since it happens now and then, small meteorites hit the earth many times a day but large comets are rarer.
2006-10-21 21:48:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Comets have an elliptical orbit. Most comets originate in the Kuyper Belt.
2006-10-21 17:16:42 · answer #6 · answered by Stymie 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. Comets have struck the Earth. Comits will strike the Earth, unless we get our butts into space where we can do something about it. The consequences of being a passive target for space debris do not bear considering.
2006-10-21 17:01:14 · answer #7 · answered by Grendle 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
thats rigtht... its b'cuz of the gravity only...
U've seen armageddon, right? its shown that an asterois is gonna hit the earth..
so, if an asteroid can hit the earth, then why can't a comet, or for that matter, why can't any planet or any other celestial body hit us? ..
we can be hit anytime... that work i leave to the nasa guys... otherwise they're gonna be angry at me...
2006-10-21 20:06:33 · answer #8 · answered by uv 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they orbit the sun faster, and yes we are worried aobut a collision, in fact one was supposedly going to collide with us 2 years ago... thank god for bruce willis xD
2006-10-21 17:51:03 · answer #9 · answered by Drew 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes to both questions.
2006-10-21 17:06:28 · answer #10 · answered by Back Porch Willy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋