The Orbit of Hale-Bopp Comet, Discovered in 1995, Is an Ellipse

question 11

Multiple Choice

The orbit of Hale-Bopp comet, discovered in 1995, is an ellipse with eccentricity $0.995$ and one focus at the Sun. The length of its major axis is $366.5 \mathrm { AU }$ . [An astronomical unit (AU) is the mean distance between Earth and the Sun, about 93 million miles.] Find the maximum distance from the comet to the Sun. (The perihelion distance from a planet to the Sun is $a ( 1 - e )$ and the aphelion distance is $a ( 1 + e )$ .) Find the answer in $\mathrm { AU }$ and round to the nearest hundredth.

• A) \(372.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• B) \(370.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• C) \(365.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• D) \(368.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• E) \(374.58 \mathrm { AU }\)

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Definitions:

Frontal

Referring to the forehead or the front part of something, particularly in anatomy, it pertains to the front part of the brain or the frontal bone of the skull.

Maxilla

A pair of bones forming the upper jaw and part of the orbits surrounding the eyes, essential for facial structure.

Mastoid Process

A bony prominence located behind the ear on the skull that serves as a site of muscle attachment.

Trigeminal Nerve

The fifth nerve in the cranial region that handles sensory information from the head and face, as well as motor activities like chewing and biting.