Can a long period comet get converted into a short period one?
Sometimes after successive deflections by Jupiter over many orbits, the orbit of a comet may get distorted so highly as to leave its original orbit and join the Jupiter family of comets, thereby converting it into a short period comet.
Is the period of a comet constant?
A comet is sometimes deflected by the gravity of the gas giants like Jupiter Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, leading to alteration of the period of the comet.
Do all comets have very long periods?
Comets are usually divided into two categories-short comets and long period comets. Short period ones have periods of up to two centuries. Their orbits usually do not extend far beyond the orbit of Jupiter. Long period comets have orbits usually extending far beyond the orbit of Jupiter.
