The streams of dust and gas each form their own distinct tail, pointing in slightly different directions. The tail of dust is left behind in the comet 's orbit in such a manner that it often forms a curved tail called the antitail, only when it seems that it is directed towards the Sun. At the same time, the ion tail, made of gases, always points along the streamlines of the solar wind as it is strongly affected by the magnetic field of the plasma of the solar wind. The ion tail follows the magnetic field lines rather than an orbital trajectory. Parallax viewing from the Earth may sometimes mean the tails appear to point in opposite directions.
where does the tail of a comet always point
along the streamlines of the solar wind