Long-period comets are celestial objects composed primarily of ice, dust, and rocky material that have orbits taking them far beyond the outer planets, resulting in orbital periods that can range from several decades to thousands of years. These comets originate from the Oort Cloud, a vast, spherical shell of icy bodies surrounding the solar system, and they often display dramatic tails when they approach the Sun due to sublimation of their icy components. Their unpredictable appearances and long orbits distinguish them from short-period comets, which typically come from the Kuiper Belt.
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