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Glossary term: Núcleo cometário

Description: O núcleo de um cometa é a parte central do cometa. Trata-se de um objeto sólido, semelhante a uma bola de neve suja, composto por gelo e partículas rochosas e empoeiradas. Longe do Sol, o núcleo é o único componente do cometa. Quando se aproxima do Sol, o núcleo do cometa é aquecido pela luz solar. Isso faz com que o gelo da superfície sublime. O gelo sublimado e a poeira incrustada nele são ejetados passam a envolver o núcleo como uma coma com uma cauda apontando para longe do Sol.

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Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher
The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval

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This comet nucleus looks like two large, bumpy lumps joined together. A small jet of material is being blown off the nucleus

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Caption: Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko's nucleus is a "dirty snowball" made of a mixture of frozen materials and dust. It is shaped like two large lobes: one 4.1 km × 3.3 km × 1.8 km, the other 2.6 km × 2.3 km × 1.8 km. These lobes are connected by a small bridge. When a cometary nucleus such as this nears the Sun its frozen, icy material is heated, turning into gas. This, combined with the embedded dust, provide the material for the comet's characteristic coma and tail.
Credit: ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM credit link

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