Question

in november 2013 an object orbiting the sun seemed to disappear behind the sun. when a satellite did not detect the object, astronomers thought that the object had been destroyed when it passed close to the sun. however, when another satellite detected a small, bright object with a fan - shaped tail, astronomers proposed that the object was not destroyed. what type of object were astronomers most likely observing? an asteroid a comet a nebula a meteor

Explanation:

A comet is an icy body that, when it approaches the sun, can develop a fan - shaped tail due to the sublimation of its icy material. Asteroids do not typically have tails. A nebula is a large cloud of gas and dust in space, much larger than a small, bright object. A meteor is a small body that burns up in the atmosphere, and it is not an object that orbits the sun for long periods and reappears.

Answer:

a comet