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Glossary term: Núcleo del cometa

Also known as Interior de un cometa, bola de hielo sucio

Description: Es la estructura interna y sólida de un cometa. Se trata de un objeto similar a una bola de hielo sucia, formado por hielo y partículas rocosas y polvorientas. Sus componentes más destacados son: agua, amoníaco, dióxido de carbono, metano y silicatos. Este núcleo cometario cambia cuándo se acerca a su estrella. De allí que los hielos superficiales se subliman formando una especie de atmósfera a su alrededor, conocida como coma, a la vez que pierde materiales rocosos arrojados mientras completa su órbita alrededor de la estrella.

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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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