Asteroid or Comet? Weird Blue Space Rock 'Phaethon' Gets a Close-Up

What is the name of the blue asteroid that acts like a comet?

• 3200 Phaethon

• Pallas

• Geminid

• Mauna Kea

How often does one orbit of Phaethon around the sun take?

• 1.4 Earth years

• 1 Earth year

• 2 Earth years

• 0.5 Earth years

What is the main difference between Phaethon and comets when they get close to the sun?

• Phaethon forms a coma and a tail, while comets do not

• Comets form a coma and a tail, while Phaethon does not

• Both Phaethon and comets form a coma and a tail

• Neither Phaethon nor comets form a coma and a tail

When did the asteroid Phaethon make its closest approach to Earth since 1974?

• Dec. 16, 2017

• Oct. 24, 2018

• 1974

• 1983

What did astronomers observe during Phaethon's close approach to Earth?

• Phaethon's albedo(reflected light) is twice as bright as Pallas

• Phaethon's surface is evenly scorched by the sun's heat

• Phaethon's orbit matched the trail of debris that causes the Geminid meteor shower

• Phaethon collided with another object in space

What is the albedo(reflected light) of Phaethon?

• 8 percent

• 16 percent

• 4 percent

• 32 percent

What is the Geminid meteor shower believed to have originated from?

• Asteroids

• Comets

• Phaethon

• Pallas

How do asteroids like Phaethon differ from comets when they get close to the sun?

• Asteroids form a coma and a tail, while comets do not

• Comets form a coma and a tail, while asteroids do not

• Both asteroids and comets form a coma and a tail

• Neither asteroids nor comets form a coma and a tail

What is one possibility for how Phaethon created the trail of debris that causes the Geminid meteor shower?

• Material swept off the asteroid's surface

• Phaethon collided with another object in space

• Phaethon is a dormant comet

• Phaethon turned into an asteroid over time

What is the mission by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) that will study Phaethon?

• DESTINY+

• Geminid

• Phaethon Flyby

• Comet Dust Study