A spacecraft scoops up a sample from a small space object: ice mixed with dust and frozen gas, like the stuff of a dirty snowball. Which object did it most likely visit?

• An asteroid, because asteroids are icy
• A comet, because comets are icy bodies
• A meteorite, because meteorites are icy

Where are most asteroids found?

• Between Mercury and Venus
• Between Mars and Jupiter
• Beyond Neptune

A meteor is a streak of light you see when a space rock burns up in the sky.

A comet swings far away from the Sun, back into cold deep space. What happens to its glowing tail?

• It fades away, because no heat is turning the comet's ice into gas and dust
• It grows longer and brighter than ever
• It freezes into solid rock

Which sentence best describes an asteroid?

• A rocky or metal chunk left over from the solar system's formation
• A ball of ice with a glowing tail
• A planet with rings

A tiny space rock is falling toward Earth. Put its names in order, from space to landing.

• Meteoroid, Meteor, Meteorite
• Meteor, Meteoroid, Meteorite
• Meteorite, Meteor, Meteoroid

A telescope shows a bright object with a long glowing tail moving through the outer solar system. Is it more likely an asteroid or a comet?

• An asteroid, because asteroids always have tails
• Neither, only planets have tails
• A comet, because tails form as its ice turns to gas near the Sun

Zoe finds a rock on the ground and says, 'This just fell from space, so it's a meteoroid.' What is her mistake?

• It should be called a meteorite, since it has landed on Earth
• It should be called a comet, since it came from space
• It should be called an asteroid, since it is rocky