Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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There’s no question that comets have been regarded as some of the most beautiful things in the night sky for thousands of years. But why are their heads often green but never their tails?
Hosted By: Reid Reimers
SciShow is on TikTok! Check us out at tiktok.com/@scishow
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Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/SciShowSpace
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Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: GrowingViolet, Jason A Saslow!
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Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids? Check out our awesome products over at DFTBA Records: dftba.com/scishow
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Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow Tangents Podcast: scishowtangents.org
Facebook: facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: instagram.com/thescishow
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Sources:
eso.org/public/events/astro-evt/hale-bopp/comet-history-1
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/c/Cometary+Gas+Tail
eurekalert.org/news-releases/938361
pnas.org/content/pnas/118/52/e2113315118.full.pdf
Image Sources:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lspn_comet_halley.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_28.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Hyakutake_by_Bill_Ingalls.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Neowise;_July_2020.jpg
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_NEOWISE_over_Ayvalık_Islands_Nature_Park.jpg
nasa.gov/jpl/nasa-instrument-on-rosetta-makes-comet-atmosphere-discovery
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ultraviolet_Radiation_From_Hydrogen_Atoms_in_Coma_of_Comet_Hyakutake.png
flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/51146589850
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia21749-comet-illustration-animation
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_52.jpg
istockphoto.com/photo/c2-molecule-gm179236697-25467346
istockphoto.com/photo/sky-full-of-stars-gm512250305-46845990
istockphoto.com/vector/acceleration-speed-motion-on-night-road-luminous-blurred-horizontal-lines-pink-and-gm1266830732-371489631
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/slac-dragonfly
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Hyakutake_from_Hubble.jpg
storyblocks.com/video/stock/the-falling-comet-on-the-starry-sky-background-hyper-lapse-sglqvgpxvkd58b6hm
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_70.jpg
To get $5 off your own personalized Magic Spoon variety pack, head to magicspoon.thld.co/scishowspace_0122 and use code SCISHOWSPACE at checkout!
There’s no question that comets have been regarded as some of the most beautiful things in the night sky for thousands of years. But why are their heads often green but never their tails?
Hosted By: Reid Reimers
SciShow is on TikTok! Check us out at tiktok.com/@scishow
----------
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/SciShowSpace
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: GrowingViolet, Jason A Saslow!
----------
Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids? Check out our awesome products over at DFTBA Records: dftba.com/scishow
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow Tangents Podcast: scishowtangents.org
Facebook: facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: instagram.com/thescishow
----------
Sources:
eso.org/public/events/astro-evt/hale-bopp/comet-history-1
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/c/Cometary+Gas+Tail
eurekalert.org/news-releases/938361
pnas.org/content/pnas/118/52/e2113315118.full.pdf
Image Sources:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lspn_comet_halley.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_28.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Hyakutake_by_Bill_Ingalls.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Neowise;_July_2020.jpg
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_NEOWISE_over_Ayvalık_Islands_Nature_Park.jpg
nasa.gov/jpl/nasa-instrument-on-rosetta-makes-comet-atmosphere-discovery
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ultraviolet_Radiation_From_Hydrogen_Atoms_in_Coma_of_Comet_Hyakutake.png
flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/51146589850
spaceplace.nasa.gov/comets/en
jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia21749-comet-illustration-animation
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_52.jpg
istockphoto.com/photo/c2-molecule-gm179236697-25467346
istockphoto.com/photo/sky-full-of-stars-gm512250305-46845990
istockphoto.com/vector/acceleration-speed-motion-on-night-road-luminous-blurred-horizontal-lines-pink-and-gm1266830732-371489631
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/slac-dragonfly
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Comet_Hyakutake_from_Hubble.jpg
storyblocks.com/video/stock/the-falling-comet-on-the-starry-sky-background-hyper-lapse-sglqvgpxvkd58b6hm
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburger_Wunderzeichenbuch,_Folio_70.jpg
