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Comets: Crash Course Astronomy #21

Season 1 Episode 21 | 11m 54s

Today on Crash Course Astronomy, Phil explains comets. Comets are chunks of ice and rock that orbit the Sun. When they get near the Sun the ice turns into gas, forming the long tail, and also releases dust that forms a different tail. We've visited comets up close and found them to be lumpy, with vents in the surface that release the gas as ice sublimates.

Aired: 06/17/15
Extras
Phil gives the course a send off with a look at some of his favorite topics.
Our Universe’s days are numbered.
Thanks to the wonders of physics, we can map a timeline of the universe’s history.
Most of the universe is made up of a mysterious entity that pervades space: dark energy.
Thanks to observations of galaxy redshifts, we can tell that the universe is EXPANDING!
Today on Crash Course Astronomy, Phil dives into some very dark matters.
The discovery of gamma-ray bursts is an epic story.
Active galaxies pour out lots of energy.
Galaxies contain gas, dust, and billions of stars or more.
Latest Episodes
Phil gives the course a send off with a look at some of his favorite topics.
Our Universe’s days are numbered.
Thanks to the wonders of physics, we can map a timeline of the universe’s history.
Most of the universe is made up of a mysterious entity that pervades space: dark energy.
Thanks to observations of galaxy redshifts, we can tell that the universe is EXPANDING!
Today on Crash Course Astronomy, Phil dives into some very dark matters.
The discovery of gamma-ray bursts is an epic story.
Active galaxies pour out lots of energy.
Galaxies contain gas, dust, and billions of stars or more.
Today we’re talking about our galactic neighborhood: The Milky Way.