Science project: make your own comet!
This was suggested by Nicolas, age 7:
- Make a snowball.
- Throw the snowball so hard that is leaves the Earth’s atmosphere and orbits the Sun!
And here’s the variant suggested by his little brother Léo, age 5:
- A comet is a dirty snowball, so find some very dirty snow to make a snowball.
- Go on a spaceship to the Oort cloud
- Open the door of the spaceship and put the snowball with the other comets.
Note: I’d never even heard of the “Oort Cloud” until these kids started watching astronomy videos on YouTube. I thought they were saying “Earth Cloud” until it looked it up on Wikipedia…

AtheistDad Said,
January 12, 2009 @ 5:57 am
Just don’t make a yellow comet.
chanson Said,
January 12, 2009 @ 10:40 am
lol, I’ll have to pass that tip along.
They like making jokes about how “doggies think snow is a potty”
Laurie T. Said,
January 12, 2009 @ 3:13 pm
That is great!! It is supposed to snow here tonight, so maybe I can explain about comets to the kids and we can build our own tomorrow. That is amazing that your 5-yr-old had so much to add. Little scientists in the making!!
Alreem Said,
March 30, 2009 @ 5:36 am
ok….but it wouldve bn better if u put the materials n stuff…it is a project, after all… but this was gd enough! =D
Alreem Said,
March 30, 2009 @ 5:36 am
OHHH! ur 7! wow, i thought u were an adult!
Solar System Road Trip! Said,
September 4, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
[...] They love dirty space snowballs! (see here) [...]