Sam was gazing through a telescope and noticed a bright spot moving fast through the sky. On closer examination, he observed the spot was followed by a stream of dust as it neared the sun. What did Same most likely observe?(1 point)

Responses

a moon
a moon

A comet
A comet

An asteroid
An asteroid

A meteor

A comet

To determine what Sam most likely observed, we can analyze the clues given in the question.

The fact that Sam noticed a bright spot moving fast through the sky indicates that the object was in motion. This rules out a stationary celestial body like a moon or a planet.

The observation that the spot was followed by a stream of dust as it neared the sun is a key clue. This phenomenon is often associated with comets. Comets are made up of ice, dust, and rocky material, and as they approach the sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize and create a glowing coma around the solid nucleus, which appears as a bright spot. The stream of dust and gas is then formed as the solar wind blows the vaporized material away from the comet, creating a tail-like appearance.

Therefore, based on the information provided, it is most likely that Sam observed a comet.