Comets have elliptical orbits like planets. The orbital path of a comet, however, is much longer.

This allows comets to travel close to the Sun. Which definition below best describes a comet?

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An object trapped by the gravity of a planet, and which continually orbits the planet

A small rocky mass that can enter the atmosphere, and may strike the surface of a planet or moon

A mass of dust and ice with a cloud of dust and gas that forms a tail-like feature trailing behind the mass

A rocky mass that orbits the Sun, too small to be a planet or a moon, and is commonly located in a belt

A mass of dust and ice with a cloud of dust and gas that forms a tail-like feature trailing behind the mass

The definition that best describes a comet is: A mass of dust and ice with a cloud of dust and gas that forms a tail-like feature trailing behind the mass.