A comet is a small object in space made mostly of ice and dust that orbits the sun. When it comes close to the sun, it develops a bright glowing head and a long tail.
From Latin *cometa*, from Greek *komētēs* meaning “long-haired,” from *komē* “hair.” Ancient observers thought the glowing tail looked like streaming hair.
When you see a comet’s tail, you’re not seeing the comet itself, but material being blasted off it by sunlight and solar wind. Its tail always points away from the sun, so as it orbits, the tail can actually swing around like a weather vane.
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