The term that names a small, icy object that orbits the sun is a comet. Comets are celestial bodies made up of ice, dust, and rocky material. When comets orbit closer to the sun, the heat causes them to release gas and dust, creating a glowing coma and sometimes a tail that points away from the sun due to solar wind. Comets are often referred to as "dirty snowballs" due to their composition of ice and dust.
Comets have highly elliptical orbits, which means they can travel far from the sun and then swing in close to it. As a comet gets closer to the sun, the heat causes the ice on its surface to vaporize, creating the characteristic coma and tail that make them visible from Earth.
In summary, comets are small, icy objects that orbit the sun in elongated paths and exhibit spectacular displays when they come close to the sun.
