Comet Spinner
A round head dot leads a thin tail that fades to nothing, like a comet circling. The tail is a masked conic gradient on one pseudo element, the head is the other.
Also known as: spinner with head dot, comet tail loader, shooting star spinner.
HTML
<div class="ldr-comet-spinner" role="status" aria-label="Loading"></div>
CSS
.ldr-comet-spinner {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
--t: calc(var(--s) / 11);
position: relative;
width: var(--s);
height: var(--s);
animation: ldr-comet-spinner-spin 1s linear infinite;
}
.ldr-comet-spinner::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
inset: 0;
border-radius: 50%;
background: conic-gradient(from 0deg, transparent 0 12%, var(--c));
-webkit-mask: radial-gradient(farthest-side, transparent calc(100% - var(--t)), #000 calc(100% - var(--t) + 1px));
mask: radial-gradient(farthest-side, transparent calc(100% - var(--t)), #000 calc(100% - var(--t) + 1px));
}
/* The head sits on the ring's centre line at 12 o'clock, where the gradient peaks. */
.ldr-comet-spinner::after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
top: calc(var(--t) / 2);
left: 50%;
width: calc(var(--s) / 5);
height: calc(var(--s) / 5);
border-radius: 50%;
background: var(--c);
box-shadow: 0 0 calc(var(--s) / 6) color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 45%, transparent);
transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
}
@keyframes ldr-comet-spinner-spin {
to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-comet-spinner, .ldr-comet-spinner *, .ldr-comet-spinner::before, .ldr-comet-spinner::after, .ldr-comet-spinner *::before, .ldr-comet-spinner *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.