C/2012 S1 (ison) Could Be The Brightest Comet Ever Seen By Mankind

[Bobby]

 

Comet ISON, or what was ISON will soon leave the LASCO view and this could be the last we will ever see of it. Now looks like a fading, dissipating cloud of dust and gas from an extinct comet. 4.6 billion years floating in space and incinerated in minutes by the Sun. So, goodbye ISON, thanks for the fun. Still a faint chance that something survived and it will rebrighten but seems remote indeed.

 

In tribute here's a great pic charting it's progress from astrophotographer Damien Peach.

 

 

 

[Boro Snow]

I *do* think that something emerged from the Sun, but probably a v.small nucleus or "rubble pile", and I fear that may have now dissolved... oh dear

[SteveCoops]

They've just enabled their cloaking device, that's all that's happened.

[mike Meehan]

A pound to a pinch of salt there will still be portions left with the potential to cause substantial damage should they come our way and each of those portions could have its own particular trajectory and these will be more difficult to track and compute.

[Polar Maritime]

Looks like ison has a bad case of sunstroke... 

[Keraunic]

Oh dear.....what a disappointment. I,like many others was so looking forward to seeing Ison even if only faintly. Never mind, I saw Hale-Bopp and he was magnificent. I never did see Halley's though.

[Bobby]

A pound to a pinch of salt there will still be portions left with the potential to cause substantial damage should they come our way and each of those portions could have its own particular trajectory and these will be more difficult to track and compute.

 

The NASA guys say this:

 

I'm still getting lots of questions about this, so it's important to address. It is also by far the most absolute and definite answer I can give. The answer is "NO" -- whatever is left of ISON, be it nucleus, rubble, or dust, -- the large chunk(s) will continue to follow the same orbit that we always said they would. The passage through the Sun, and any possible fragmentation, will not have made a difference. This means that ISON is absolutely NO THREAT to Earth in any way whatsoever. The comet, or its remains, will now pass harmlessly out into space, never to be seen again.Folks also continue to be worried about a "meteor shower" at Earth so that's worth mentioning. As I understand it, Earth will probably pass through the remnant trail of comet ISON's tail some point early next year. The net result of this will be at least one or two, if not a handful, or extra shooting stars in the sky over a couple of nights. And that's it. Just shooting stars, just like we see every single night on Earth. Any dust that Earth encounters will be absolutely tiny and stands zero chance of reaching anywhere near the Earth's surface. Indeed, Earth passes through numerous comet tails every year -- that what the Leonids and Perseids are, for example. So don't worry about this, and don't even expect to notice it.

http://isoncampaign.org/karl/a-trail-of-questions

[Methuselah]

Oh dear.....what a disappointment. I,like many others was so looking forward to seeing Ison even if only faintly. Never mind, I saw Hale-Bopp and he was magnificent. I never did see Halley's though.

It was indeed, spectacular, K...My kids can't even remember seeing it!

[Gray-Wolf]

I was watching early evening con-trails last night and wondering if some of the 'spectacle' of a comet is now lost with the 'shape' it traces being such a commonplace thing these days? Contrails in the sunset appear ,to me, to have a beauty all their own!

[Methuselah]

I remember learning 'integration by parts', many years' back, but I wouldn't want to try calculating what happens to each individual 'part' of Comet ISON. I think I know that the total momentum will stay the same? But, then, what about the bits that have been vaporized?

[Bobby]

It was indeed, spectacular, K...My kids can't even remember seeing it!

 

Hale-Bopp, now that was comet of the century, will never forget that - was spectacular in the skies for months. Hopefully the next great comet will soon be on its way to give us a show.

 

[lorenzo]

Distance to Earth countdown back up and running..

 

http://www.cometison2013.co.uk/perihelion-and-distance/

[cheese]

Hale-Bopp, now that was comet of the century, will never forget that - was spectacular in the skies for months. Hopefully the next great comet will soon be on its way to give us a show.

 

Yes, what a great comet. Halley's was rubbish by all accounts.

Edited December 2, 2013 by cheese

[Coast]

Oh dear.....what a disappointment. I,like many others was so looking forward to seeing Ison even if only faintly. 

 

Well only a couple of days really until we find out how much, if any is left to see with the naked eye. Looks like I'll have to pack the binoculars into the boot for an early start.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Coast

[mike Meehan]

Oh dear.....what a disappointment. I,like many others was so looking forward to seeing Ison even if only faintly. Never mind, I saw Hale-Bopp and he was magnificent. I never did see Halley's though.

Yes, Hale-Bopp was the best I have ever seen and we were blessed with some clear skies at the time to get a good view.

[cheese]

Hyakutake was also a good comet, in 1996. This comet was on display as Hale-Bopp approached the inner Solar System - two great comets in two successive years. Was only visible for a few days though, so many in Europe would not have seen it at all due to cloudy skies.

 

Edited December 2, 2013 by cheese

[Bobby]

ISON has been officially declared dead by the NASA ISON observing team

 

An 'in memorium' has been written of the ex-comet

 

http://www.isoncampaign.org/karl/in-memoriam

Here's to the next hope of a "Great Comet" which could be discovered tomorrow.

[Boro Snow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcROVqmF9SY&feature=youtu.be

 

NASA | Comet ISON's Full Perihelion Pass, some nice footage, 

[Bobby]

ISON may be dead but there is comet Lovejoy visible, is fairly bright at the moment and visible to naked eye in good conditions, should look good through binoculars or a small telescope.

 

Here's how to find it at 4am, it will be rising in the NE sky through the early hours. Shame it's grey and murky at the moment though

 

 

 

(mag. more like 4-5 now rather than 8 as the pics show)

 

A pretty little thing

 

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap131202.html

Edited December 3, 2013 by Bobby

[Bobby]

Clear skies now and with a new moon this is a good time to find Comet Lovejoy. Visible to naked eye in decent conditions, otherwise get out some binoculars or a telescope, should look pretty nice. Will be visible to the NW this evening for a time, this around 5:20pm.

 

 

Then visible again rising in the NE sky beneath the Big Dipper in the early hours

Edited December 4, 2013 by Bobby

[Crepuscular Ray]

And a fuller take from NASA:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHR-34MstE

[Jax]

And a fuller take from NASA:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHR-34MstE

Video comes up as PRIVATE and cannot be viewed ???

[Crepuscular Ray]

Sorry, that's just happened to me, too... It was fine 20 minutes ago. They seem to have just taken it off youtube for some reason. I'll check backon it and let you know if it reappears.

 

Edit - it's now been flagged as having been removed by the user. Sorry.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Crepuscular Ray

[Coast]

ISON has been officially declared dead by the NASA ISON observing team

 

Yep, a lovely sunrise this morning but no comet to be seen. Oh well there's always:

 

[Steve C]

Yes, what a great comet. Halley's was rubbish by all accounts.

I can vouch for that. I did spot Halley's in about 1986, but knew where to look for it and had to use binoculars!