Question

A student is taking an animal science and an astronomy class. In animal sciences, she learns that pumas are called mountain lions and cougars in different parts of the world, but they are all the same cat. She makes an analogy, or comparison, to something she learned in her astronomy class. She says that a certain space object is like a puma because it is the same object but has different names depending on where it is. What space object is she thinking of?

comet
meteoroid
asteroid
meteoride

Answer 1

The space object she is thinking of is likely a "comet." Comets can have different names depending on their characteristics or the person who discovered them (for example, Halley's Comet, Comet Hale-Bopp). This is similar to how pumas are referred to by different names in various regions. While meteoroids and asteroids are also objects that may have different names or classifications, the analogy with the different naming conventions and the recognition of their identity as the same entity resonates well with comets.