Be Smart
The Cosmic Origins of Earth's Water
Was Earth born as a Blue Planet? Discover where water came from with a video from an intriguing science playlist. The resource covers the three most likely origins of water, how scientists differentiate between comet and asteroid water,...
Be Smart
Asteroids, Meteors, Comets… and the End of the World?
Dinosaurs owe their destiny to an asteroid. What are the chances humans will meet the same fate? A fascinating video lesson considers the probability of an asteroid colliding with the earth while taking into account variations in...
American Chemical Society
Did Comets Kickstart Life on Earth?
Care to speculate on how life on Earth came to be? The video presentation from the ACS Reaction series considers the possibility of comets creating the right conditions for the formation of life. Scholars consider colliding comets as...
Crash Course
Meteors
When you wish upon a shooting star ... you're actually pinning your hopes and dreams upon a meteor! Science scholars discover the origin of these dazzling falling bodies in a video that's sure to captivate. The narrator explains the...
Crash Course
The Oort Cloud
What lies beyond our solar system? Share an interesting video describing the Oort Cloud with astronomy scholars to find out! The narrator explains that this far-flung region, along with the scattered disk and Kuiper belt, is...
Crash Course
Comets
Crystal ball or big, hairy, dirty snowball? Take young astronomy scholars on an up-close investigation of comets with a video. Topics include the makeup of comets and their two tails, long- and short-period comets, and how they interact...
SciShow Kids
Explore the Solar System: The Gas Giants
Take a trip to space's gas giants, also known as the outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—with an interesting video equipped with a spirited host, a cartoon sidekick, and bright, colorful graphics.
SciShow Kids
Comets and Asteroids!
Follow along as host Jessi and her mouse sidekick, Squeaks, examine space's comets and asteroids. Discover what they are made of, their size, where we can find them, and two of the more popular space objects of the group.
TED-Ed
Solid, Liquid, Gas and … Plasma?
Most of us are familiar with the three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas. But what about plasma? Yet 99.9% of the universe is made of plasma. Get the scoop on this gooey goo.
TED-Ed
Where Did Earth's Water Come From?
It's commonly known that over 70 percent of of the earth's surface is covered by water, but exactly where did it all come from? Join this short video as it travels back to the beginning of the universe in search of the origins...
TED-Ed
Could Comets Be the Source of Life on Earth?
For thousands of years people have observed comets as they pass through the solar system, but could there be more to these celestial bodies than meets the eye? Watch this video to learn how these objects have recently been found to...
Curated OER
Comets
What happens when a comet full of 'volatiles' comes to close to the sun? The volatiles ignite, creating a long gaseous tail. Are there differences between meteors and comets? Leading scientists and CG graphics help differentiate the two...
Curated OER
Exploring Comets with Dr. Alan Stern
What are comets, and where do they come from? Learn about short and long period comets, where they come from, and what they're made of. Dr. Alan Stern answers specific questions regarding comets we see and ones we don't. This is a...
Curated OER
Asteroid vs. Comet
How were we, as a planet, effected by ancient asteroid impact? We find that a cosmic impact was responsible for killing the dinosaurs, but it also led to the conditions that made human life possible. This is an informative clip that...
Curated OER
Comets - Remnants Of The Beginning
Why do scientists study comets, and why are they so important? We learn that comets delivered much of the water, material, and chemicals that helped shape our planet. They also contain frozen evidence that can tell the story of our...
Curated OER
Unlocking Comet Secrets - A Comet's Tale
The comet's nucleus is tiny and quite dark, so how are scientists able to study them? Introduce your class to the scientific tools that make comet study a reality. While this clip begins to explore a fascinating topic, it is...
Curated OER
Comets And Meteor Showers (Perseid Meteor Shower)
As the dusty tail of a comet pass near Earth, particles fly off and burn up in Earth's atmosphere creating beautiful meteor showers. Learn about the Perseid Meteor Shower and the NASA space craft that make it possible for us to know when...
Curated OER
NASA Spacecraft meets Comet Temple 1
On Valentines Day in 2011, a NASA spacecraft met comet Temple 1. Introduce the class to the information, evidence, and technology needed to have a date with an orbiting comet. A great look into the science behind great discoveries.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Crash Course Astronomy: Comets
Comets are chunks of ice and rock that orbit the Sun. When they get near the Sun, the ice turns into gas, forming the long tail, and also releases dust that forms a different tail. We've visited comets up close and found them to be...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Crash Course Astronomy: The Oort Cloud
Out past Neptune are vast reservoirs of icy bodies that can become comets if they get poked into the inner solar system. The Kuiper Belt is a donut-shaped region beyond the planets that is aligned with the plane of the solar system. The...
National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation: Science Behind the News: Impacts on Jupiter
Looks at research astronomers are doing in order to understand what happens when comets hit Jupiter, so we can learn what might happen on Earth if something similar occurred. [4:52]
SciShow
Sci Show Kids: Comets and Asteroids!
A video exploring "flying space rocks" known as comets and asteroids. Learn about how comets got their name and the most famous comet. Also understand where asteroids are found and how they change into meteor then meteorite. [4:00]
Crash Course
Crash Course Astronomy #21: Comets
Today on Crash Course Astronomy, Phil explains comets. Comets are chunks of ice and rock that orbit the Sun. When they get near the Sun the ice turns into gas, forming the long tail, and also releases dust that forms a different tail....
Science Friday Initiative
Science Friday: Comet's Tail Shines Light on Sun
In 2011, comet Lovejoy traveled through the sun's corona and lived to tell the tale. But its tail was the most telling. Reporting in the journal Science, Cooper Downs, says that the wiggle of the comet's tail helps explain the sun's...