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A comet is an icy, dusty body orbiting the Sun; a meteor shower is a display of streaks that occurs when Earth passes through a stream of debris in space. Many shower streams come from comets, but the comet itself does not enter Earth’s atmosphere—and not every meteor shower has a comet parent.
What is the difference between a comet and a meteor shower?
| Feature | Comet | Meteor shower |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A small body containing ice and dust that orbits the Sun. | A recurring atmospheric display of many meteors. |
| What causes it | As the comet approaches the Sun, solar heating vaporizes ice and releases gas and dust. This material can form a cloud around the comet and sometimes a tail. | Earth crosses a stream of small particles; those particles enter the atmosphere and produce streaks of light. |
| Where it occurs | The comet travels through space around the Sun. | The visible streaks occur high in Earth’s atmosphere. |
| What people see | A diffuse object that may have a tail and remain observable over an extended period. | Many brief streaks that seem to radiate from a point in the sky. |
| How they are related | A comet can shed material that remains along its orbit and later contributes to a meteor shower. | Often associated with comet debris, but some showers are associated with asteroids. |
What causes a meteor shower?
As a comet travels near the Sun, some of its ice vaporizes and releases gas and dust. The released particles can spread along the comet’s orbit. When Earth passes through such a stream, particles enter the atmosphere at high speed and heat the surrounding air, creating visible streaks. That is the shower: a series of atmospheric events, not a comet passing through the sky.
The apparent point in the sky from which a shower’s streaks seem to emerge is called its radiant. The streaks can appear across a wide area, but because the particles arrive along similar paths, perspective makes their tracks seem to converge toward that point.
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Are all meteor showers caused by comets?
No. Many meteor showers are linked to comet debris, but some are associated with asteroids. NASA identifies asteroid 3200 Phaethon as the source associated with the Geminid meteor shower. So a shower’s parent stream does not always come from an icy comet.
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Compressed Air Duster,130000RPM Super Power Cordless Air Duster,Rechargeable Brushless Blower,3 Gear Adjustable Blower with LED Light,Dust Remover for Computer/House/Outdoor/Car
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What do meteoroid, meteor, meteorite, and coma mean?
- Meteoroid: A small particle traveling through space, often a fragment of a comet or asteroid.
- Meteor: The streak of light produced when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes. “Shooting star” is an informal name; a meteor is neither a star nor a comet.
- Meteor shower: A group of meteors seen when Earth passes through a debris stream. Its meteoroids follow similar orbits and appear to come from a radiant.
- Meteorite: Material from a meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and reaches the ground.
- Coma: A cloud of gas and dust around an active comet, formed when its ice vaporizes near the Sun. A tail may also form.
Can you see a meteor shower without special equipment?
Yes. NASA Space Place says meteor showers can be viewed without special equipment. A dark sky and an unobstructed view make it easier to see meteors. Shower particles are usually small enough to burn up quickly in the atmosphere, so only a small chance exists that material will reach the ground.
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Under Desk Cable Management Tray No Drill, Metal Mesh Cable Management Under Desk with Clamp Mount, 2 Hole Cable Tray with Wire Management and Cord Organizer for Home Office Standing Desk
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Vaydeer Wrist Rest for Keyboard and Mouse, Computer Ergonomic Wrist Support Pad, Soft Memory Foam Arm Cushion for Desk, Palm Hand Office Laptop Typing
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BladeHawks RGB Gaming Mouse Pad Extra Large Extended 31.5x12 Inch-Black
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EVEO® Screen Cleaner Spray Kit (Streak-Free) TV Screen Cleaner for Smart TV, Lcd, LEd, Oled | Computer Screen Cleaner Spray and Wipe Microfiber Cloth - TV, Monitor, Laptop, iPad, Car - 6.7oz 1 Pack
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