Answered

Arrange the events to describe how a distant star might cause a new comet to appear in Earth's skies. Place the first event at the top of the list.


  • A star passes near the solar system.
  • The comet's orbit is altered in the Oort Cloud.
  • The comet begins traveling inward toward the Sun.
  • A comet becomes visible near the Sun.

Verified Answer :

Final answer:

A distant star can initiate the appearance of a new comet by altering its orbit in the Oort Cloud due to gravitational influence, causing it to travel inward toward the Sun, where it becomes visible. This sequence highlights the interaction between celestial bodies and their movements through space. Comets can remain undetected for long periods until influenced by nearby stars.


Explanation:

How a Distant Star Can Cause a New Comet to Appear

To understand how a distant star might lead to the appearance of a new comet in Earth's skies, we can arrange the sequence of events in the following order:

  1. A star passes near the solar system.
  2. The comet's orbit is altered in the Oort Cloud.
  3. The comet begins traveling inward toward the Sun.
  4. A comet becomes visible near the Sun.

When a star approaches the solar system, its gravitational influence can disturb the long-held trajectories of icy bodies located in the Oort Cloud—a region filled with comets beyond the orbit of Neptune. This disturbance may slightly change the orbit of a comet that has been dormant for a long time. As the altered comet gets drawn inward due to its new trajectory, it eventually moves closer to the Sun, becoming visible to observers on Earth as it heats up and forms a bright tail.


Learn more about Comet Formation here:

https://brainly.com/question/38878661


Related Questions