Comets often sport two distinct tails: a dust tail and an ion tail. The dust tail is curved and follows the comet’s orbit, reflecting sunlight. The ion tail, made of charged particles, points directly away from the Sun, pushed by the solar wind. Some comets even have a faint third tail made of sodium atoms—an eerie, yellowish trail that’s rarely visible.
Enjoyed this article?
Get daily 10-minute PDFs about astronomy to read before bed!
Sign up for our upcoming micro-learning service where you will learn something new about space and beyond every day while winding down.