Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

[MarkS]

Here's the explanation, which includes a link to a great spectrum from Christian Buil:
http://www.isoncampaign.org/why-does-ison-look-green

[MarkS]

Vapourised by the sun   

[Rick]

Comet ISON destroyed in Sun passage

Comet Ison was severely battered in its encounter with the Sun, and largely destroyed.

Telescopes saw the giant ball of ice and dust disappear behind the star, but only a dull streamer emerge.

Astronomers continued to search for the object, but it eventually became clear that the much vaunted "Comet of the Century" had gone out with a whimper.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25143861

[Mike]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25143861

Poor old thing. Well at least it went out with a bang.

[MarkS]

Looking at midnight, there is something distinctly comet-like visible in both the SOHO LASCO C2 and C3 real time images.

Unfortunately both feeds have frozen, so it is not possible to see how fast it is brightening.

[Mike]

You mean this....



Yeah it does look like SOMETHING has survived.

[Mike]

But in the C2 image it looks like it has no core. More like a giant dust cloud and nothing substantial. So it could be just the remnants of the tail and the pulverised core. Either that or a much smaller ISON.

[Les R]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25143861

Poor old thing. Well at least it went out with a bang.

It's better to burn out than to fade away!

Oh well.... What's next?

[MarkS]

You mean this....

Yeah it does look like SOMETHING has survived.

Yep - and it has brightened quite considerably now:


Mark

[Mike]

Very interesting development. It's clearly a lot smaller and dimmer than it was when it was approaching the sun. I wonder of it will be bright enough for us to see with our scopes?

[MarkS]

I believe that is Arcturus [later edit - it is Antares] bottom left - it looks an awful lot brighter than Arcturus [later edit - Antares].

To quote Mark Twain, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

[Mike]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfSI60iuUEk

I think you're right.

[Rick]

Hope still for 'dead' Comet Ison

Comet Ison, or some part of it, may have survived its encounter with the Sun, say scientists.

The giant ball of ice and dust was initially declared dead when it failed to re-emerge from behind the star with the expected brightness.

All that could be seen was a dull smudge in space telescope images - its nucleus and tail assumed destroyed.

But recent pictures have indicated a brightening of what may be a small fragment of the comet.

Astronomers admit to being surprised and delighted, but now caution that anything could happen in the coming hours and days.

This remnant of Ison could continue to brighten, or it could simply fizzle out altogether.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25143861 (Same link as previous story, the contents of which have now vanished...)

[The Thing]

Latest SOHO Lasco3 image (the blue pic with the occulting disc) shows a definite comet!!! Website seems down but I got it on my phone

[Rick]

APODs http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131127.html and http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131129.html