GCSE Physics

Comets' tails

As a comet nears the Sun its frozen gases start to melt. This releases vapour and dust and the comet grows a "tail". The nearer the comet is to the Sun, the longer the comet's tail becomes.

GCSE Physics

Note that the tail or coma* of a comet is always "blown" away from the Sun. This is the effect of the Solar Wind - a continuous stream of highly-charged particles emitted by the Sun.


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