Minor Bodies of the Solar System

Minor Bodies of the Solar Minor Bodies of the Solar SystemSystem

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Kepler’s LawsKepler’s Laws

• 1. Planets orbit the sun in elliptical orbits with the sun at one focus of the ellipse

Keper’s Second LawKeper’s Second Law

• As a planet moves in its orbit, a line connecting the planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times

Kepler’s Third LawKepler’s Third Law

• P2 = a3

(provided the period is in Earth years and the semi-major axis in astronomical units)

The Main Asteroid BeltThe Main Asteroid Belt

Ceres: Largest Main Belt AsteroidsCeres: Largest Main Belt Asteroids

Gaspra and Ida (and Dactyl)Gaspra and Ida (and Dactyl)

Mathilde and ErosMathilde and Eros

NEAR close-ups of ErosNEAR close-ups of Eros

Resonances in the Asteroid BeltResonances in the Asteroid Belt

Main Asteroid TypesMain Asteroid Types

• C type: carbonaceous, low albedo

• S type: stony or stony-metallic, redder

• E type: high albedo, magnesium silicate

• D type: very dark and red

• M type: mostly iron and nickel

• E, S, and M types may be fragments from a larger body that underwent differentiation

Asteroid Light CurvesAsteroid Light Curves

• Antigone

Kuiper Belt and Oort CloudKuiper Belt and Oort Cloud

Pluto: Planet or Kuiper Belt ObjectPluto: Planet or Kuiper Belt Object

PlutoPluto

SednaSedna

Comets: Dirty SnowballsComets: Dirty Snowballs

SOHO CometsSOHO Comets

Comets Hyakutake and Hale-BoppComets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp

Impact with Comet Tempel 1 at 23,000 mph on July 4, 2005Impact with Comet Tempel 1 at 23,000 mph on July 4, 2005

Shoemaker Levy 9Shoemaker Levy 9

Hits Jupiter July 1994Hits Jupiter July 1994

Meteors and MeteoritesMeteors and Meteorites

Meteor ShowersMeteor Showers