travel_exploreDiscovery · Comets

☄️ Comets

What is a comet? Simple, true comets facts for young children, each with a fun fact, a tiny activity and a question to talk about together.

Tap a question to reveal the answer, share the fun fact, try the tiny activity, then talk about it together.

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What is a comet? Revealexpand_more

A comet is a giant ball of ice, dust and rock that travels around the Sun on a very long path. When it comes close to the Sun, some of its ice turns to gas and dust, streaming out behind it as a bright, glowing tail.

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Talk about itWould you rather watch a comet fly past or ride on one?

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Did you know?A comet's tail always points away from the Sun, even when the comet is flying back out toward the cold.

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Try itWet a small ball of soil and hold it up. A comet is a bit like a dirty snowball, but as big as a mountain.

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☄️🌠What is a shooting star?🪨What are asteroids?🪐Why does Saturn have rings?

🤖Still curious?How often do comets come back around?arrow_forward

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What is a shooting star? Revealexpand_more

A shooting star is not really a star at all. It is a tiny piece of space rock or dust that hits the air high above us and burns up in a quick, bright streak. The flash you see is over in a moment.

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Talk about itIf you saw a shooting star, what would you wish for?

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Did you know?Most shooting stars are no bigger than a grain of sand, yet they light up the whole sky for an instant.

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Try itOn a clear night, watch the sky patiently for a few minutes and see if you can catch a fast streak of light.

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☄️☄️What is a comet?🪨What are asteroids?⭐How many stars are there?

🤖Still curious?What is the difference between a shooting star and a comet?arrow_forward

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What are asteroids? Revealexpand_more

Asteroids are chunks of rock and metal, left over from when the planets formed, that circle the Sun much like planets do. Most of them travel together in a wide ring between Mars and Jupiter, called the asteroid belt.

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Talk about itIf you could name your own asteroid, what would you call it?

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Did you know?Asteroids come in every size, from tiny pebbles to giant rocks hundreds of kilometres across.

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Try itToss a handful of small stones onto the ground and look at all the different shapes. Asteroids are lumpy and all different too.

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☄️☄️What is a comet?🔴Why is Mars red?🪐Why does Saturn have rings?

🤖Still curious?Has an asteroid ever hit the Earth?arrow_forward

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Why does Saturn have rings? Revealexpand_more

Saturn's beautiful rings are made of countless pieces of ice and rock, from tiny grains to chunks as big as a house, all circling the planet. From far away they blur together and look like smooth, shining hoops.

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Talk about itWhich planet would you most like to visit, and why?

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Did you know?Saturn's rings are very wide but incredibly thin, only about as thick as a tall building in some places.

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Try itSpin a coin flat on a table and watch it whirl. Now imagine millions of icy bits whirling around Saturn like that.

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☄️🪨What are asteroids?🪐How big is Jupiter?☀️Why do the planets circle the Sun?

🤖Still curious?Do other planets have rings too?arrow_forward

☄️ Comets

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