What two primary materials are released from a comet's nucleus to form its tail as it approaches the Sun?
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Gas and dust
Comets are often described as 'dirty snowballs' because they are composed of frozen gases, rocks, and cosmic dust. As a comet nears the Sun, the ice turns directly into gas, creating a glowing 'coma' and a tail that always points away from the Sun due to solar wind.
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- As a comet approaches the Sun, what two substances are primarily released from its nucleus to create its tail?