Comets Flyby Mercury Quiz

What makes the flyby of Comet Encke and Comet ISON near Mercury a unique event?

• They are the largest comets ever recorded.

• It is a rare opportunity to study two comets close to the sun simultaneously.

• Both comets will pass by Mercury on the same day.

• They are the first comets to be observed by MESSENGER.

What is significant about Comet ISON's trajectory?

• It will collide with Mercury.

• It will orbit Earth.

• It will become the brightest comet ever seen.

• It will pass through the sun's atmosphere.

What annual event is Comet Encke associated with?

• The Geminid meteor shower

• The Taurid meteor shower

• The Perseid meteor shower

• The Leonid meteor shower

What unusual event happened to Comet Encke in 2007?

• A solar storm ripped off its tail.

• It collided with another comet.

• It was captured by Mercury's gravity.

• It disintegrated completely.

What does MESSENGER hope to detect from the comets using its x-ray spectrometer?

• Signs of water ice

• X-ray emissions from comet dirt

• Radio signals from the comets

• Magnetic fields around the comets