Question

*meteoroids are in space; meteors are burning up in earths atmosphere; meteorites have landed on the surface of a planet or moon. an object shaped somewhat like a bowling pin is about 1.5 kilometers in diameter. a spacecraft passed within 700 kilometers of this object in 2010. images from the spacecraft showed that this object frequently releases carbon dioxide gas and small chunks of ice and dust from its nucleus. when it gets close enough to the sun along its oval - shaped orbit, it forms a bright coma and tail. which image shows the object described above? kleopatra, an asteroid; 103p/hartley, a comet; willamette, a meteorite

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the object's features

The object is ~1.5 km in diameter, releases CO₂, ice, dust from its nucleus, and forms a coma/tail near the Sun (oval orbit). These are comet - specific traits (comets have icy nuclei, outgas to form coma/tail, and elliptical orbits).

Step2: Evaluate each image

• Kleopatra (asteroid): Asteroids are rocky, don't outgas or form coma/tail. Eliminate.
• 103P/Hartley (comet): Matches comet traits (outgassing, coma/tail potential, orbital behavior).
• Willamette (meteorite): A meteorite is a rock on Earth, no outgassing/orbital coma/tail. Eliminate.

Answer:

The Middle Graph (103P/Hartley, a comet)