What chemical signature often imparts a subtle green hue to the coma of an active comet?
Answer
Presence of diatomic carbon.
A key piece of chemical evidence pointing toward a volatile-rich comet, rather than a simple rocky body, is the presence of specific gases that glow distinctly when excited near the Sun. Specifically, the presence of diatomic carbon within the released gases often results in the coma exhibiting a subtle but noticeable green hue. While the dust tail can show yellow or red tones based on silicate and organic content, this greenish spectral signature is a classic indicator confirming the volatile nature of an active cometary body.
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