A comet is like a giant snowball made of ice, dust, and rocks that travels through space.
What does a comet look like?
When a comet gets close to the Sun, it starts to melt. This creates a bright, glowing tail behind the comet. The tail is made of gas and dust that is blown away from the comet by the Sun's energy.
Where do comets come from?
Comets live in a faraway region of our solar system called the Kuiper Belt. It's like a giant freezer full of icy objects. Sometimes, a comet's path gets disturbed and it starts to travel towards the Sun.
What are some famous comets?
- Halley's Comet: This comet is famous for its regular visits to Earth. It appears every 75 years!
- Comet Hale-Bopp: This comet was very bright and visible in the sky for several months in 1997.
- Comet NEOWISE: This comet was discovered in 2020 and was visible to people all around the world.
Can we see comets?
Sometimes! If a comet gets close enough to the Sun, it can become bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. You can also see comets with telescopes.
