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dust tail

comet
Also known as: Type II tail, dust jet

Quick Summary

A comet is a celestial body composed of volatile ices that orbits the Sun. As it nears the Sun, these ices sublimate, forming a gas and dust atmosphere called a coma. This outflow creates two tails: one of ionized molecules and another of dust. The dust tail, also known as a Type II tail, is broad, curved, and generally points away from the Sun due to radiation pressure. Sometimes, a comet may appear to have an anti-tail, which is a projection effect of the dust trail curving into the line of sight.123

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. comet - Tails
  2. Comet Arend-Roland
  3. comet

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