Comets are commonly referred to as “dirty snowballs” because of their composition and appearance.
Comets consist of ice, dust, stony debris, and organic substances. An extended atmosphere called a coma forms around the comet’s nucleus, along with a tail composed of gas and dust particles blown outwards by the solar wind. This technique results in a brilliant, fuzzy ball encircled by a glowing halo that resembles a dirty snowball.