Why Do Some Comets Glow Green?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do some comets glow green?

The Big Idea

Some comets glow green because sunlight makes a special gas around the comet's head glow! Sunlight makes gases around a comet's head glow, and a molecule made of two carbon atoms glows green. That is why many comets look like they wear a green haze.

Sunlight Warms a Comet

Step one: sunlight warms the comet. A comet is a ball of ice, dust, and rock. When it gets close to the Sun, the ice turns straight into gas. A cloud of gas surrounds the head.

Sunlight Makes It Glow

Step two: sunlight makes the gas glow. Some of the gas is a molecule made of two carbon atoms. When sunlight hits it, it glows green. It is a little like a glow stick.

Green Head, Two Tails

Step three: the comet shows several colors. The head glows green. The gas tail glows blue, and the dust tail shines whitish by reflecting sunlight. Together they make a beautiful picture.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! The comet's head glows green. Its gas tail glows blue. Its dust tail looks whitish. Sunlight powers every color.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! The green glow comes from a two-carbon molecule. The gas tail glows blue. The dust tail reflects sunlight. Comets are balls of ice, dust, and rock.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, look at photos of a bright comet. Find the green head. Find the blue tail and the white tail. Tell a grown-up which one you like best.

Outro

A glowing green comet is a space light show. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!