UPSC 2011: What is the difference between asteroids and comets? 1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material. 2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury. 3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Asteroids are primarily rocky/metallic bodies, whereas comets are icy bodies whose volatiles sublime to produce a coma and tail; this makes statement 1 correct. Most asteroids orbit in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter; comets originate in the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud, not between Venus and Mercury, so statement 2 is wrong. Comets develop a glowing tail when near the Sun, while asteroids do not, so statement 3 is correct. Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct. ([britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/science/What-Is-the-Difference-Between-Comets-and-Asteroids?utm_source=openai))