17

Given an image or animation of a body in space, the learner identifies it as a comet when (and only when) it is a frozen body of ice, dust, and rock that orbits the Sun (visible tail near the Sun; no tail when far from the Sun).

grade level
5
frames
16
  1. 01What is a comet made of?
  2. 02Why does this comet have a visible tail?
  3. 03What kind of space object are we looking at?
  4. 04Is this dark object a comet?
  5. 05Which statement best describes this object?
  6. 06What is this object?
  7. 07Why is Vesta considered an asteroid and not a comet?
  8. 08What kind of object is Mars?
  9. 09Based on its glowing tail, what is this object?
  10. 10What is this rocky object?
  11. 11What kind of object is this?
  12. 12What is this object?
  13. 13What is this dark, icy object?
  14. 14What is this massive spherical object?
  15. 15What is this spectacular object?
  16. 16Identify this space object.

Take a look at Halley's Comet as it passes near the Sun. You can clearly see the glowing tail because the Sun's heat is vaporizing its ice. This is a classic example of a comet in action.

A photograph of Halley's Comet passing near the Sun. As you can see, the comet features a bright, glowing center and a long, sweeping tail of vaporized ice and dust that stretches across the dark backdrop of space.
A photograph of Halley's Comet passing near the Sun. As you can see, the comet features a bright, glowing center and a long, sweeping tail of vaporized ice and dust that stretches across the dark backdrop of space.

Prompt

Why does this comet have a visible tail?