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Where Do Comets Go?

Sarah Jenkins • • 7 min read
Where Do Comets Go?

Comet Orbits
Most comets travel in highly elliptical orbits around the Sun with orbital periods (time between returns) ranging from just over three years to millions of years. Some comets, called "periodic comets", return near the Sun every few years, and travel no further from the Sun than the orbit of Jupiter.

Where do comets come from and where do they go?

Comets are believed to have two sources. Long-period comets (those which take more than 200 years to complete an orbit around the Sun) originate from the Oort Cloud. Short-period comets (those which take less than 200 years to complete an orbit around the Sun) originate from the Kuiper Belt.

What eventually happens to comets?

COMETS vaporize when their orbits take them close to the Sun. ... After many orbits near the Sun, a comet does eventually "expire." In some cases, all the volatile ices boil away, leaving a remnant of rock and dust. Sometime the comet completely disintegrates.

Sarah Jenkins
Author

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.