Comets: Icy Bodies in Space

Comets are some of the most stunning elements of space. These clumps of dust and ice feature amazing tails that can stretch for thousands of miles. This gallery showcases some examples of comets.

The comet Hyakutake is seen in the skies over Florida. It is the brightest comet to appear in the last 20 years. How is the tail of a comet created? Find out next.

As comets travel closer to the sun, they begin to melt, which creates their long tails. Check out pictures of the Hale-Bopp comet on the next pages.

The comet Hale-Bopp appears in the sky over Florida. Find out when Hale-Bopp was discovered on the next page.

Comet Hale-Bopp was discovered in 1995 by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. Check out an amazing picture of the Hyakutake comet on the next page.
Comet Hyakutake passes through the night sky. Check out a shot of one of the most famous comets on the next page.
Halley’s Comet as it appeared on January 20, 1986. Comets are known for their long tails. How long can they get? Find out next.

Comet Ikeya-Seki with its 75-million-mile long tail. Check out another comet with a long tail on the next page.

A shot of the comet Kohoutek. Comets have been known to slam into planets occasionally. Check out pictures of one that hit Jupiter recently on the following pages.
The Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet shortly before it impacted Jupiter. Check out a shot of the impact next.

The Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet slams into planet Jupiter. To learn more about comets read How Comets Work.