A comet’s tail begins with sunlight
In the inner Solar System, sunlight heats a comet’s icy surface. Volatile material then sublimates and ionizes into gas and dust, producing the visible coma and tail.
How sunlight creates a comet's coma and tail
In the inner Solar System, sunlight heats a comet’s icy surface. Volatile material then sublimates and ionizes into gas and dust, producing the visible coma and tail.