Asteroid 388945 2008 TZ3 LIVE — ‘Potentially hazardous asteroid bigger than Empire State Building’ to approach on Sunday

Difference between asteroids, meteors, and comets, part three

Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun.

However, rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them as a result of the ice and dust vaporizing.

“They range from a few miles to tens of miles wide, but as they orbit closer to the Sun, they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet,” Nasa reported.