Meteors Asteroids Comets

Use our Meteors Asteroids and Comets Worksheet to help your budding astronomer differentiate the pieces of rock, ice, and gas that streak across the sky.

Free Download Below

The Meteor, Asteroid, or Comet Worksheet

Objective: Compare meteors, asteroids, and comets.

MatchCard: Download below.

How It Works: Information pieces give facts about meteors, asteroids, or comets. Put them on the correct place on the worksheet.

Print the Asteroid, Meteor, Comet MatchCard

Click image to go to download.

This is MatchCard #10 of the Astronomy Unit Study. Find more information on MatchCard Science below.

Get The Facts

Comets, Asteroids, Meteors, Oh My!

Facts about Meteors

Meteors are small pieces of rock and metal that burn up when they come into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Meteor showers are momentary streaks of light that can be seen flashing across the sky.

They are commonly called "shooting stars."

Facts About Asteroids

Asteroids are fields of rocks that orbit the sun that are not large enough to be planets.

They are located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Theorized to be the remains of old planets.

Facts About Comets

Comets are bodies of ice and gas that travel through space in an orbit.

Comets may be seen in the sky on Earth for days or weeks when they enter our solar system.

Theorized to be remains left over from the origin of distant planets.

Out of This World Projects

Meteors At Home

You can collect micrometeorites by leaving a piece of cardboard on an open field for several days. Use a magnet to separate metallic and non-metallic pieces of dust. Where did the metal come from?

Watch The Shower

Check if there are any meteor showers or other phenomenon visible in the near future. They occur fairly frequently and are best seen in the early AM before dawn when the moon is not bright. You can check the site www.stardate.org for the next expected shower.

Dry Ice Comet

Dry ice can be dangerous. Use gloves to handle it; and make sure there is adult supervision.

Combine: 2 cups dry ice, 1 cup sand, 1 cup dirt, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of corn syrup.

Use a blow dryer on your comet to see the impact of the sun.

Watch a YouTube video of dry ice comets.

Halley's Comet on Your Family Tree

Halley's Comet orbits around the sun approximately every 75 to 76 years. Here are the last dates and the next expected date.

• 1835
• 1910
• 1986
• 2061 (prediction)

If you have a family tree, list how old some of your relatives were when Halley last came around. How old will you be when it appears in Earth's sky again?

The Inter-Planetary Chef

Create models and demonstrations of meteors, comets, and asteroids for the kids to eat.

Melt In Your Mouth Meteors

Melt 1/2 cup butter in pan. Add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup mini-marshmallows until melted. Stir in six cups crispy rice cereal. Form into balls and let cool.

Do not eat real meteors; they are not chocolate.

Mashed Asteroids

Enjoy this NASA inspired recipe. Combine:

• 6 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine ingredients. Mold into nice lumpy looking asteroid shapes. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Creamy Frozen Comets

• half gallon of whole milk
• 8 oz cool whip (slightly thawed)
• one 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• four crushed Oreos (or other chocolate crumbs)
• 1/2 cup nuts
• 1/2 cup coconut

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Freeze. Enjoy.