Why don't short-period comets have randomly oriented orbits?
A) Their orbits have been altered by encounters with planets.
B) Their orbits are altered by the Sun's gravitational pull.
C) Their orbits have been altered by impacts from asteroids.
D) Their orbits have been altered by the Lagrange points of Jupiter.
E) Their orbits have been altered by solar wind particles from a CME.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Their orbits have been altered by encounters with planets, particularly the giant ones like Jupiter and Saturn, which can significantly influence the paths of comets passing through the inner solar system, leading to less random orientations over time.

Why Don't Short-Period Comets Have Randomly Oriented Orbits