The period of Comet Halley is approximately 76 years.Its perihelion position is 0.6 AU from the Sun,so its aphelion distance from the Sun is approximately:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The aphelion distance of a comet can be calculated using the equation:

aphelion distance = 2 x perihelion distance - distance between perihelion and aphelion

The distance between perihelion and aphelion is equal to the semi-major axis of the comet's elliptical orbit, which is given by:

semi-major axis = (perihelion distance + aphelion distance) / 2

Applying these equations to Comet Halley, we can solve for the aphelion distance:

76-year period = 2 x semi-major axis ^ 1.5

0.6 AU = perihelion distance

semi-major axis = (0.6 AU + aphelion distance) / 2

Solving for semi-major axis and then for aphelion distance, we get:

semi-major axis = 17.8 AU

aphelion distance = 2 x 0.6 AU - 17.8 AU = 35.8 AU

Therefore, the best choice is C, with an aphelion distance of approximately 35 AU.

The Period of Comet Halley Is Approximately 76 Years