Suppose we discover a new comet on an orbit that brings it closer to the Sun than Mercury every 125 years. What can we conclude?
A) It has been on its current orbit for only a very short time compared to the age of our solar system.
B) It came from the Oort cloud.
C) It came from the Kuiper belt.
D) It has a coma and tail during most of each orbit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If a comet has an orbit that brings it closer to the Sun than Mercury every 125 years, it means that it has a very long period orbit. This suggests that it has not been on its current orbit for a very long time compared to the age of our solar system, as most comets that have been on long period orbits would have been ejected from the solar system or collided with a planet by now.

Suppose We Discover a New Comet on an Orbit That