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A comet generally has two tails, not one. One tail is due to the comet's dust particles, the other is due to ionized gas from the comet coma. 


Dust particles form the first tail. The only force that affects these small particles in space is the radiation from the Sun. This radiation pushes the tiny dust particles in the direction from which they came. Thus, this comet tail generally points back along the comet trajectory. 

Ions which first come from the nucleus as neutral gaseous particles, are swept into the second comet tail by interaction with the Sun's magnetic field. This field sweeps past the comet nucleus and carries the ions with it to form the tail. Because of the special interaction with the magnetic field, this tail always points directly away from the Sun.


(check the related link for an image)

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14y ago
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12y ago

It's because of the moulcules in the gasses and dust.

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12y ago

He was just born with them =3

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Q: Why are there two tails to some comets?
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Related questions

Why do comments have tails?

Why do comets have tails


What is the distance of comet tails that have been observed to extend?

Some comets have tails reaching 160 million kilometers long.


Do asteroids tails burn?

No, they do not burn only comets have tails.


Do only comets have tails or no?

yes


Do meteorites have tails?

No, that would be comets.


What is the balls of ice in the sky with tails?

Comets


What makes up the tails of comets?

rocks and dust


When are comets tails present?

When they reach the inner solar system.


How long are the tails of comets?

It depends on how fast the comet is going.


Does Mars have tails?

In the sense that an observer can see tails on comets - no, the gravity and composition of Mars is not favorable to the production of a tail.


What are the icy objects with huge trials that orbit the sun?

Tails, not trials. They're called comets, and their "tails" form when the comet gets near the sun, vaporizing away some of the ice.


Do all comets have tails?

Because they aren't traveling towards the sun. Comet tails are caused by debries being burned off.