The tail of a comet always points
A) in the direction of the comet's motion.
B) toward the Sun and disappears at perihelion.
C) away from the Sun and becomes longest and brightest at perihelion.
D) toward Earth and never varies.
E) away from the Sun and disappears at perihelion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tail of a comet always points away from the Sun due to the solar wind. It becomes longest and brightest at perihelion, which is the point in its orbit closest to the Sun, because the solar radiation is strongest there, causing more ice and dust to vaporize and form the tail.

The Tail of a Comet Always Points