by 
phibins
ANSWERS: 9
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They're shedding molecules!
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i have no idea haha sorry
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Because, while there is no friction in EMPTY space, as comets get closer to the Sun, there is friction from the solar wind. And also that the heat from the Sun causes ice (both dry ice and water ice) to vaporize, and that's what produces the trails you see. They're not dust trails, per se, although they certainly include dust particles. But mostly they're ice melting into water vapor.
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i dont actually know but if i was to guess i would say its because your thinking of a comet that you would probably see in the night sky looking out your bedroom window this comet if it had a trail behind it would be entering the earths atmosphere causing it to break up and leaving a dusty trail but in open space i would say they wouldnt have any dust trail
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First off there is some friction in space, space is only a near vacuum not total.....as the comets are moving, the ice, dust whatever they shed has some residule velocity and is left in the wake to glow..... Not a science answer but someone will no doubt explain in more detail.....or you could try wiki.....
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It's not dust - it's water vapor that's produced as the comet nears the sun and the heat makes the ice in the comet evaporate. Actually the vapor stays where it is and the comet moves ahead producing the "tail." That's why comets are nearly invisible until they get close to the sun.
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They do it to confuse "Clever buggers!" who ask questions like yours. When you consider that the universe is little more than pure Chaos. The law of probability states that "Order must prevail in any system based on Chaos!" Speed equals distance divided by time, or time equals time divided by distance. So even Stephen Hawkins, as he sits in his electric wheel chair, still wonders about many things that are of great wonder! Like "Rod theory!" and the "big bang". Then some bugger like you comes along and asks questions like that? Grin...
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The heat coming from the sun and radiating out in all directions produces a power called solar wind. This pushes the dust from the comets away from the wind. That's why the tail always points away from the sun. It has been suggested that a space ship fitted with solar sails would be able to move about using the solar wind to push it.
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It's not mostly dust, it's ice and vapor that are melting away from the comet as it gets closer to the sun, because the sun is hot....and comets are mostly ice.
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