A Comet, Originating in the Solar System, Is Observed to Have

Multiple Choice

A comet, originating in the solar system, is observed to have a hyperbolic orbit. What is MOST likely to have happened?

A) The comet always had such an orbit.
B) The comet was deflected from an elliptical orbit by close encounters with other bodies in the solar system.
C) The comet was decelerated by solar radiation.
D) The comet's circular orbit was changed by gravitational radiation.