SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -Comets orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits. Their velocity increases greatly when they are near the Sun and slows down at the far reaches of the orbit. Since the comet is light only when it is near the Sun (and is it vaporizing), comets are dark (virtually invisible) throughout most of their orbit.

Detailed explanation-2: -When a comet’s orbit brings it close to the Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing head larger than most planets. The dust and gases form a tail that stretches away from the Sun for millions of miles.

Detailed explanation-3: -As it gets closer to the sun, its speed increases. It may travel at over 100, 000 miles per hour! As a comet approaches the sun, its icy body begins to melt, releasing gas and dust. The solar winds push against the coma, making a tail that streams from the nucleus.

Detailed explanation-4: -When a comet is in our solar system, most of the gravity affecting the comet’s motion is due to the Sun. As a comet gets closer to the Sun it moves faster and faster, because the closer an object is to the Sun the stronger the Sun’s gravity acts on it.

Detailed explanation-5: -The tail of the comet is gas and dust boiled off by the heat if the sun. So no new tail material is emitted once it gets away from the sun.

Detailed explanation-6: -As the comet travels further away from the Sun: The radius of the orbit increases. The orbital speed decreases due to a weaker gravitational pull from the Sun.