An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The prompt provides an incomplete set of answer options, but it does give the intended answer as "a comet." If we consider the concept in astronomy: an icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is typically associated with comets.

Reasoning for the (implied) correct statement:
- Comets are made largely of volatile ices (water, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia) that can sublimate as they approach the Sun, creating their characteristic coma and tail. An icy body in the outer solar system (from regions like the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud) that orbits the Sun is a natural source for a comet when its ices sublimate during solar approach.
- The terminology aligns with the idea of a small, icy remnant from the early solar system that remains in orbit around the Sun. When such bodies are active, they are observed as comets; when inactive, they can resemble asteroids, though their composition is still icy.

Why there are no additional options to evaluate:
- The provided data lists an answer field containing "a comet." but the answer_options array is empty, so there are no alternative choices to compare against. This prevents a typical option-by-option analysis.
- Without multiple choices, we cannot contrast the correct option with others that would reflect common misconceptions (e.g., calling it an asteroid, a dwarf planet, or a meteoroid) or discuss why those alternatives would be inaccurate.

Nevertheless, based on standard definitions: an icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is best described as a comet when it exhibits active sublimation near the Sun, and as a primordial icy body otherwise. In the context of this question, labeling it as a comet captures the expected astronomical classification for such a body in typical discussions about the solar system's small bodies.

EARTHSC 2205 SP2025 (19389) AsteroidCometDwarfPlanet

An icy leftover planetesimal orbiting the Sun is

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