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
In this artist's rendition, we see an object speeding through the inner solar system, brilliantly illuminated by the Sun and trailing a massive tail of gas and dust.

Here you see an artist's rendition of Halley's Comet on its next return to the inner solar system. The comet shines brightly with a fully formed, glowing tail of gas and dust as it gets heated by the Sun.
Prompt
What is this spectacular object?