Comets are like dirty snowballs from the edge of our solar system. Imagine a big, icy ball that's been hanging out in the cold for millions of years, far away from the Sun. When it finally gets close to the Sun, the ice starts to melt and turn into gas, making a glowing tail behind it. That’s what makes comets shine so brightly as they zoom past Earth.
Examples
- Imagine a comet passing by Earth, leaving behind a glowing trail like smoke from a firework.
- Comets shine because the ice on their surface turns into gas when they get close to the Sun.
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See also
- What causes rare planetary alignments and the appearance of comets?
- What is Ion tail?
- What is Eris?
- What is Orbital clearance?
- What is Jupiter?