Comet C/2012 S1 ISON: The Comet of the Century?

[Cheezy the Wiz]

A comet from the Oort Cloud has entered the Solar System for the first time, and will pass Earth in November of this year with potentially spectacular results.

http://www.space.com/19796-comet-ison-explained-infographic.html

Named after the International Scientific Optical Network, Comet ISON — officially designated "C/2012 S1 (ISON) — has the potential to be the most spectacular comet of the century. But it could also prove to be a dud. A critical moment will be perihelion passage, when the comet comes closest to the sun.

On Nov. 28, 2013, the head of the comet passes 800,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) above the sun's surface. This is closer to the sun's surface than the sun's own diameter.

If it survives its close brush with the sun without breaking up, Comet ISON will make a hairpin turn past the sun, whipping around onto the outbound leg of its orbit. The comet could provide a spectacular display in Earth’s skies in November and December.

Astronomers have high hopes because Comet ISON seems to be a new comet fresh from the Oort cloud, a zone of deep-frozen objects orbiting in the dark outlands of our solar system. The most optimistic prediction is that Comet ISON could rival the Great Comet of 1680.

The performance of comets cannot be accurately predicted. Some previous "great comets" such as Comet Elenin in 2011, fizzled instead.

Comet ISON is believed to be making its first trip to the sun, and so is hoped to still have most of its volatiles intact. Volatiles are the substances which heat up and blast off the comet's nucleus to form the wispy comet tail which can stretch for millions of miles through space.

If this comet survives its very close pass to the Sun, when it swings around the other side it will come [safely] close to Earth with a very long tail, and would rival the full moon for brightness. It could take up a large portion of the night sky, and even be visible during the daytime during its perihelion, if one holds their hand in front of the Sun itself.

Problem is, astronomers tracking the comet on its way toward the Sun are worried that it will be a dud, because it's not brightening as fast as expected, and thus may be shedding material a lot faster than they'd hoped.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I am pumped for this pass, here's hoping it lives up to expectation.

 

[Cutlass]

I hope for a chance to see it.

 

[emzie]

I've been looking forward to this since I heard about it. If it lives up to its billing, I'll probably have to drive a few hours out of the city on a clear night. I remember Hale-Bopp when I was a kid but only ever saw it in the 'burbs.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I've been looking forward to this since I heard about it. If it lives up to its billing, I'll probably have to drive a few hours out of the city on a clear night. I remember Hale-Bopp when I was a kid but only ever saw it in the 'burbs.

Hale-Bopp was the shiznit.

 

[peter grimes]

I'm not going to get too worked up. Yet.

I remember Halley is 1986. Just a faint little smudge on the pre-dawn horizon. Interesting? Mildly.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Halley was actually in the worst position for viewing in centuries in 1986. It was on the far side of the sun and going away from us. This comet is going to swing back toward us and pass about as close to the Earth as the Venusian orbit. It's going to be a monster in the sky.

 

[peter grimes]

I'll have access to one of these:
http://meade.com/lx90

on a lake in New Hampshire:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunapee,_New_Hampshire

shooting with my new camera:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Digital-slr-Cameras/25492/D3200.html

If you're in the market for a camera like this, disregard that price. I got mine for $500. PM me for details if you're interested.

EDIT:
According to the Dark Sky Finder, the site is in the light green. Not too bad, actually.

 

[emzie]

I'll have access to one of these:
http://meade.com/lx90

on a lake in New Hampshire:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunapee,_New_Hampshire

shooting with my new camera:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Digital-slr-Cameras/25492/D3200.html

Hey buddy...

... we're friends right?

Can I come?

 

[peter grimes]

Hey buddy...

... we're friends right?

Can I come?

that could prove to be a pretty good meet up, actually.

Sadly, the house has no running running water in the winter, so there's that.

 

[Quackers]

How big is this thing going to be in the sky?

 

[peter grimes]

How big is this thing going to be in the sky?

That's not yet certain. More observations are needed as this mass gets closer to the inner solar system before any sort of forecast can be made.

From what I understand, we might have an idea in June or July!

 

[emzie]

that could prove to be a pretty good meet up, actually.

Sadly, the house has no running running water in the winter, so there's that.

wait, srsly?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

How big is this thing going to be in the sky?

The largest estimates place it at stretching 1/6 of the night sky, but it may not be that spectacular.

For perspective on big comets, this was Comet Lovejoy at its most impressive, back in 2011.

 

[Joecoolyo]

What's with the green tint on the right? Is that just due to overexposure on part of the camera?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

It may be that, or some manifestation around what appears to be light pollution of some sort.

 

[Quackers]

If the largest estimates hold, 1/6 of the night sky will be enormous, i can imagine people getting afraid with that size.
That is an awesome picture by the way, i've never seen the nightsky like that.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

What I mean is, the tail could stretch 1/6 the distance from horizon to horizon, not that the whole comet will take up 1/6 of the entire sky. But again, that's uppermost estimates, and the way the comet is looking now (Hubble has its first images of the comet's tail) it's not behaving in the way that makes them expect those upper-escelon predictions. ISON may either be underwhelming, or may not even survive its close pass to the Sun.

I don't imagine there are many great star-viewing spots in Britain. That one is from southern New Zealand.

 

[peter grimes]

If the largest estimates hold, 1/6 of the night sky will be enormous, i can imagine people getting afraid with that size.
That is an awesome picture by the way, i've never seen the nightsky like that.

What I mean is, the tail could stretch 1/6 the distance from horizon to horizon, not that the whole comet will take up 1/6 of the entire sky. But again, that's uppermost estimates, and the way the comet is looking now (Hubble has its first images of the comet's tail) it's not behaving in the way that makes them expect those upper-escelon predictions. ISON may either be underwhelming, or may not even survive its close pass to the Sun.

I don't imagine there are many great star-viewing spots in Britain. That one is from southern New Zealand.

That image is almost certainly either a very long exposure (180 seconds) or a composite from several shorter ones. I suspect it's a single long exposure since the trees on the horizon aren't in sharp focus. With a composite, usually the photographer will choose one horizon slide to keep, and stack all the sky shots minus dark frames behind it.

But since the trees are smudgy, I'm guessing the camera was tracking the sky as the earth rotated. Just a guess, though.

 

[peter grimes]

[YOUTUBE2]40wICUY5VmU[/YOUTUBE2]

Video of the estimated orbital path. Longish, so just start watching at about 1:16 for a combined view.

Currently 3.338 AU distant. Inside the orbit of Jupiter, but greatly inclined to the ecliptic.