What common nickname describes a comet's nucleus composed of rock, dust, and frozen ices?
Answer
Dirty snowball.
A comet's solid core, which is responsible for the material released during sublimation, is frequently referred to as a 'dirty snowball.' This terminology accurately reflects its composition, which consists of a mixture of rocky debris, dust particles, and various frozen ices. When this icy body swings close enough to the Sun, the warmth causes these ices to turn directly into gas—a process known as sublimation—which then creates the extended coma and potential tails that make the comet visible.
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