Paper Model Of Comet Ison'S Orbit (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

to the center of the circular sun symbol. Cut

Ask students about the orbital speeds they

slots along the two dashed lines on the top

have calculated. Is there a pattern? Are the speeds

of the Display Base. Make sure the longer cut

constant? If not, how do they change? Using the

extends to the center of the sun symbol.

same procedure, have students calculate several

orbital speeds for Earth. Do they notice changes in

2. Fold back the tabs in the Display Base, then

Earth’s orbital speed similar to those of the comet?

fold back the four large flaps that will form the

How does the comet’s speed compare with Earth’s?

sides of the box.

These calculations may serve as a lead-in for

discussion of Kepler’s Laws of planetary motion,

3. Tape each tab on the Display Base to a

which apply to all orbiting bodies. To learn more,

neighboring flap so that the base becomes

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a box. Insert the bottom of the Comet Orbit

into the large slot on the Display Base. Slide

Understanding Solar System Dynamics: Orbits and

the slot on the Comet Orbit into the top of the

Kepler’s Laws

Base, then adjust the Orbit to line up the sun

symbols on both pieces.

4. Fold back the tab and the triangular flaps of

Further classroom resources

the Orbit Support. Insert the tab into the short

slot on the Display Base. Adjust the flaps and

NASA’s Comet ISON Toolkit

the Comet Orbit so that the two make contact.

If needed, use a piece of tape to secure the

Comet Orbit to the support.

Comet Mystery Boxes

Comparing Comets

Classroom activity

Comet on a Stick

How fast does a comet move? Using string, have

students measure how far the comet moves between

each date. Students may then use the scale bar on

the Display Base to convert their measurements to

Additional resources

a distance in kilometers. Lastly, have them calculate

the comet’s speed using Rate = Distance / Time.

Comet ISON Observing Campaign

Caution them that the time increment between dates

changes as the comet gets closer to the sun.

NASA’s Swift Sizes Up Comet ISON

For example, from Feb. 15 to March 1, 2014,

the comet moves 1.3 cm on the model. The scale

bar indicates that 1.4 cm equals 40 million km.

Hubble Captures Comet ISON

(Measurements may differ from this example

based on variations in the model’s printed size.)

Live Images of the Sun

Between these dates, the comet will move 37.1

million kilometers. To determine its average speed,

divide this distance by the number of days between

Eyes on the Solar System

measurements (14, in this case). For this period, the

comet is moving 2.7 million km per day, on average.

Comet Interactive

Have students complete the following data table

for dates along the comet’s orbit.

Orbit Diagrams: NASA’s Near Earth Object Program

Actual

Orbit

Measured

distance

Explore! Comets

segment

Number

distance

(millions

Orbital

(dates)

of days

(cm)

of km)

speed

Sungrazing Comets

Paper Model Of Comet Ison'S Orbit Page 3

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