Comet Teacher Resources

Younger students learn why comets race through the sky as well as related vocabulary words and meanings.

Discover the latest scientific information about comets through a vast archive of photographs and scientific facts.

Discover interesting facts about comets, an icy time capsule left over from the birth of planets.

A video exploring "flying space rocks" known as comets and asteroids. Learn about how comets got their name and the most famous comet. Also understand where asteroids are found and how they change into meteor then meteorite. [4:00]

This comet fact sheet, supplied by the NSSDC, provides a table of information on selected comets, complete with commentary when appropriate. Includes details of missions to observe these comets.

An introduction to comets, including information on their composition, origin, and importance.

A rendezvous with a comet was the goal for NASA's Stardust mission. Read about the mission and the comet here.

This resource contains a small amount of information on NASA's comet probe, Stardust.

Brief list of facts about the space probe Philae and comet 67b.

Northeast Parallel Architectures Center at Syracuse University provides a site dedicated to compiling the best images and information regarding Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and its collision with Jupiter. Great animations.

Comet Siding Spring is about to fly historically close to Mars. The encounter could spark Martian auroras, a meteor shower, and other unpredictable effects. Whatever happens, NASA's fleet of Mars satellites will have a ringside seat....

A comet is heading for Mars, and there is a chance that it might hit the Red Planet in October 2014. An impact wouldn't necessarily mean the end of NASA's Mars program. But it would transform the program along with Mars itself. (Mar. 27,...

This site provides extensive information on the controversial theory that there are millions of small comets which continually burn up yearly in the earth's atmosphere.

This site provides the complete etext for Jules Verne's story, "Off on a Comet."

This resource provides an article on the Stardust space probe and how it snags burning particles from comets and returns them to earth. Mainly discusses the "Gravity boost," planet earth gave the probe as it began searching for a comet.

A penumbral lunar eclipse and a bright green comet gave skywatchers across the globe a double treat Friday night (Feb. 10) and early into Saturday morning.

Get details about "Deep Impact", Nasa's mission to intercept Comet Tempel 1. The resource includes an animation of the route taken by their probe.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes the characteristics of comets.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes the characteristics of comets.

Use marbles to discover how comets and asteroids make impact craters. This hands-on experiment is easy to do and gives you many variations to try. Included are links to additional information.

After displaying an image of a comet (Comet 73P/Schwassman-Wachmann 3) trailing a crumble of debris, this site examines specific details involved in the picture along with an explanation of a comet's tail.

Under the heading, "Evidence for Comets Found in Dead Star's Dust" this site examines specific details of an chart/graph which demonstrates the cloud of dust involved in the white dwarf and this cloud's relation to the material...

This image, titled "Super-Comet or Big Asteroid Belt?" features a chart representing what could either be a large comet or a cluster of asteroids. The text under the image details various specifics about the picture.

This space telescope image of the Jupiter-Family Comets features both the Johnson and the Shoemaker-Levy 3. In addition, a detailed textual overview explains various specifics of the picture.