Page 14 - SOLAR SYSTEM

Distant travellers

A co111et is a 111ountain o-1' rocl: and
ice orbiting the Sun. Most comets are too far
away for us to see, but occasionally they come
closer to the Sun. The sun's heat changes some
of the ice into gas. Gas and dust flying off the

comet form long, bright tails.

'f Tue cloud or cotna around a cotnet iS tnade en dust and gas.
Pust tortnS one en the cotnet's tails and gas tortnS a second tail.

si ;comet'9
te1i\9 e1\wC1Y9 ?oint
e1wctY from the Sun.
:Z When the comet
sunlight and particles 11\0\/es away ft-otn the
streaming away from Sun, ,ts tails fade
the sun - called the
solar wind - sweep
the tails back, away
from the sun.

(\ comet's tails can 't>e
\onger than the distance
trotn the t;arth to the sun.