The one orbital characteristic both short- and long-period comets share is:
A) mostly prograde orbits
B) orbits with completely random tilts
C) mostly retrograde orbits
D) orbital periods longer than any planet
E) highly eccentric orbits

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both short- and long-period comets have highly eccentric orbits, meaning their orbits are elongated and take them far out into the solar system before swinging back towards the Sun. This is due to the gravitational influence of the outer planets, which can either scatter comets inward towards the Sun (in the case of long-period comets) or round them up into shorter periods (in the case of short-period comets).

The One Orbital Characteristic Both Short- and Long-Period Comets Share