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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-comet-tail-direction

Which way does a comet's tail generally point?

Away from the Sun, pushed by sunlight and solar wind.

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  1. Away from the Sun ✔
  2. Always toward Earth
  3. Straight along the orbit

Why: Sunlight pressure and charged particles push comet dust and gas outward. A comet's tail therefore points generally away from the Sun, not simply behind its motion.

Huh, didn't know that: A comet can develop both a dust tail and an ion tail.

The dad joke
A comet's tail always knows which way is out.
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References

Answer: Away from the Sun. Sunlight pressure and charged particles push comet dust and gas outward. A comet's tail therefore points generally away from the Sun, not simply behind its motion.

  1. Comet Facts science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/facts
    The pressure of sunlight and high-speed solar particles can blow the coma dust and gas away from the Sun
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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