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  1. Comet - Wikipedia

    A comet is an icy, small Solar System body or interstellar object that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an …

  2. Comets - Science@NASA

    Dec 3, 2025 · Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun. When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit brings it close to the …

  3. Comet | Definition, Composition, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 24, 2025 · Comet, a small body orbiting the Sun with a substantial fraction of its composition made up of volatile ices. Comets are among the most-spectacular objects in the sky, with their …

  4. What is a comet? - BBC Sky at Night Magazine

    Aug 26, 2025 · Simply put, a comet is a large body of ice and dust orbiting the Sun, sometimes seen as a bright object in the sky with a long tail streaming behind it. Wanderers of the Solar …

  5. What Are Comets | What Does a Comet Look Like - Star Walk

    May 17, 2025 · Hairy stars, dirty snowballs, cosmic time capsules – that’s all about comets. Let’s dive into the science and history of comets, uncovering their role in the universe and their …

  6. What Are Comets? - timeanddate.com

    Comets are small celestial bodies, primarily made of dust and ice, that orbit the Sun. They are thought to be remnants of the formation of the Solar System.

  7. Comet – Definition & Detailed Explanation - Sentinel Mission

    Oct 15, 2025 · Comets are celestial bodies that orbit the sun in highly elliptical paths. They are composed of ice, dust, and rocky material, and are often referred to as “dirty snowballs” due to …

  8. What is a comet? – The Institute for Environmental Research and …

    Jun 16, 2025 · A comet is, in essence, a cosmic snowball composed of frozen gases, rock, and dust, often referred to as a “dirty snowball.” These icy remnants from the early solar system …

  9. About Comets - Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)

    Oct 31, 2012 · Comets are divided into short-period comets and long-period comets. Short period comets — such as Comet Halley — revolve around our Sun in orbits that take less than 200 …

  10. ESA - Comets: an overview

    With a name derived from the Greek komētēs, meaning a 'long-haired' star, comets are ancient celestial icebergs of the Solar System. Each comet is roughly 4600 million years old and …