WHAT SHAPE ARE THE ORBITS OF COMETS? - SCIENCE - 2025

The shape of the orbits of comets can be elliptical or parabolic. The first scientist to make observations of comets and study their behavior was Halley. Through his mathematical calculations, he determined that periodic orbits and eccentric ellipses are part of the characteristics of a comet's motion.

Comets are masses that are generated in a region called the Oort Cloud. This place is made up of matter that, due to the distance from the sun, could never be integrated into the planetary formation.

Its movement is due to the gravitational interaction with the sun and various celestial bodies in the solar system.

Comet orbits

The best known comet of all: the Halley. Source: Wikimedia Commons. NASA / W. Liller

Comets are in constant motion. This is produced by the direct action of a gravitational field, generating a displacement in these masses.

The orbits are made around another body, which exerts the central force that keeps it constantly describing this trajectory.

Elliptical orbits

Previously, planets and comets were believed to have a circular orbit. When Johannes Kepler made the precise observations, he determined that the orbits could describe elliptical trajectories.

As a result of these observations, three laws were generated about planetary behavior.

Isaac Newton was another observer of the behavior of celestial bodies, determining that the mass of the bodies can directly influence the gravitational field generated.

The larger a celestial body is, the greater the effect it will have on other bodies that are in its gravitational field.

The body or central star is located in one of the foci of the ellipse. It has the characteristic that its specific energy is equal to zero.

Changes of direction

View of Comet Hale-Bopp during its visit in 1997. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Tequask.

In our solar system, all comets are directly affected by a gravitational focus, the Sun.

This generates a gravitational interaction with all the particles of the system, attracting comets towards its center. The trajectory that the bodies under this influence describe is parabolic.

Comets' trajectory can change suddenly when moving very close to a planet, being affected by its gravitational field.

This phenomenon can generate the transformation of a parabolic orbit into a closed elliptical one.

How does a

There are two determining points during the orbit path around a body, which affect the speed of the body.

The periaster

It is the point where the distance is shortest between the comet and the body that generates the gravitational field. At this point the speed of the body increases.

The apoaster

During orbit, it is the farthest point from the body that generates the gravitational field. At this point, the speed of the body slows down.

How does a

The initial movement is oblique. The gravitational force attracts the body, which tries to maintain its displacement in a straight line, generating a constant curve.

References

1. "Orbit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." es.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
2. «What is an orbit? - Astronomy - Deep Space. » Dec 8, 2005, Espacioprofundo.com.ar. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
3. "Comet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." es.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
4. "NASA - Comets." Nov 30, 2011, nasa.gov. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
5. "All about the Solar System - Comets." todoelsistemasolar.com.ar. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.