<p>The mass loss begins at approximately 450-600 million kilometers from the sun. This begins roughly in an area between the end of the asteroid belt and 1 AU from Jupiters orbit.</p>

<p>Extract from wikipedia:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The coma is generally made of H
  2O and dust, with water making up to 90% of the volatiles that outflow from the nucleus when the comet is within 3 to 4 astronomical units (450,000,000 to 600,000,000 km; 280,000,000 to 370,000,000 mi) of the Sun. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Source</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-07T02:03:34.563Z
2019-06-07T02:03:34.563Z
Barry Jenakuns
<p>As the comet orbits around the Sun, I gather that its tail loses mass due to solar wind and tidal waves. Approximately, from what distance (with respect to Sun) will the mass loss begin?</p>

<comets><mass>
Comet mass loss
Ananda Bukkambudhi
# Comet mass loss

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-07)

As the comet orbits around the Sun, I gather that its tail loses mass due to solar wind and tidal waves. Approximately, from what distance (with respect to Sun) will the mass loss begin?

**Tags:** comets, mass


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-06-07. Score: 2

The mass loss begins at approximately 450-600 million kilometers from the sun. This begins roughly in an area between the end of the asteroid belt and 1 AU from Jupiters orbit.

Extract from wikipedia:

> The coma is generally made of H
> 2O and dust, with water making up to 90% of the volatiles that outflow from the nucleus when the comet is within 3 to 4 astronomical units (450,000,000 to 600,000,000 km; 280,000,000 to 370,000,000 mi) of the Sun. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet)


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