Comets

Comets are small celestial bodies that orbit the Sun. They are made up of ice, dust, and rocky particles. When comets are far from the Sun, they are frozen and inactive, but as they approach the Sun, they heat up and release gas and dust in a glowing halo and a long tail that points away from the Sun.

Composition of Comets

Comets are composed of several parts:

• Nucleus: The solid core of a comet, made up of ice, rock, and organic compounds.
• Coma: The glowing halo of gas and dust that surrounds the nucleus when the comet is close to the Sun.
• Tail: The tail of a comet is formed as the solar wind and radiation push gas and dust away from the comet.

Study Guide

1. What are comets made of?
   Answer: Comets are made up of ice, dust, and rocky particles.
2. What happens to a comet as it approaches the Sun?
   Answer: As a comet approaches the Sun, it heats up and releases gas and dust, forming a glowing halo (coma) and a long tail that points away from the Sun.
3. What is the solid core of a comet called?
   Answer: The solid core of a comet is called the nucleus.
4. How is a comet's tail formed?
   Answer: A comet's tail is formed as the solar wind and radiation push gas and dust away from the comet.
5. What are the three main parts of a comet?
   Answer: The nucleus, coma, and tail are the three main parts of a comet.

Comets are fascinating objects in our solar system, and studying them can provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.